


City that never sleeps

by PeggyCarters



Category: Blake Shelton (Musician), Gwen Stefani - Fandom, The Voice (US) RPF
Genre: AU, F/M, Kinda, Shefani - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9804947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeggyCarters/pseuds/PeggyCarters
Summary: A night out in the city that never sleeps might just be what they needed.





	1. Frederic's

**Author's Note:**

> I based this on Not Alone by Red, Blake's Sure be Cool if You Did. It's not important to listen to the songs but I just thought I'd let you know :)

It's pretty late when he changes into a brand new brown and cream plaid shirt, a pair of jeans and boots. He steps off the tour bus after his first concert of the new 2015 Summer North America tour and he feels good. The concert had started around 10pm and had gone on for a little more than two hours and Blake was ready to hit the tour bus’ bed and sleep forever after a well deserved shower but as he was about to put his pajama pants on he realized that he was in New York City, the city that never sleeps, and that he deserved a distraction after the last few weeks of his life. Thre weeks ago he had gotten back home to Oklahoma after being in Nashville for a week, to surprise his wife, only to walk in on her having sex with another man.

They had met many years ago when they performed together at an event. Blake was married at the time but shortly had gotten divorced and from then until last month, he and Miranda had been inseparable, always crashing each other’s shows and singing together whenever they could. Everything changed when Blake learnt that she was cheating on him, had been for a while. Blake had ignored the rumours until it became too much and he couldn’t take it anymore. He hadn’t even had time to get over it because his tour had started the week after he had walked out their house in Oklahoma with his US army bag full of clothes and his guitar, trying real hard not to turn around and get back inside with who he thought was the love of his life.

He had stayed at his mother’s house for the week, afraid he’d go crazy all by himself in some random hotel.

His mum had been on him the whole week, trying to cheer him up and also letting him cry on her shoulder. She had had to yell at him a few times when he wouldn’t stop drinking and Blake had stormed out once or twice tired of everything. What she didn’t realize was that having a few too many beers and vodka was the only way to forget about her. He had started calling Miranda _her_ , because saying her name hurt too much and it made him want to run back to her and not sign the divorce papers he would eventually have to sign.

 

But now, after his opening night, Blake feels as tired, and a bit curious, for what’s to come. Mostly tired. Everything is too much lately. He has cut drinking to a beer or two a day, thinking that it wouldn’t be a smart move to depend on how many beer bottles there where in the fridge when he had three two hour concerts a week. He wasn’t eating much, and that wasn’t a smart move either, but he just wasn’t hungry. His pants were starting to get baggy and some of his older shirts were starting to fit him again, _maybe this divorce diet won’t be a bad thing after all,_ he had told himself when he hanged the old clothes in his room on the tour bus. It had been two weeks since he had walked out their Oklahoma propriety and even though he felt alone and missed her, at least the version of her he had loved and part of him still does, Blake realized that he was going to have to  sign the divorce papers in a month and that was it. He deserved better than her and he had to learn to move on. He was staying on a bus tour because that’s the only place that felt somewhat of a home. He had never really fancied them but he honeslty didn’t want to sleep in a different room every day for almost two months of tour. This fancy tour bus was his home, for now.

He closes the tour bus’ door and walks up to Michael, the security guy accompanying them on this tour. He’s the man that keeps watch on the tour busses at night.

“Hey Michael!” Blake shakes hands with the man and pads his back.

“Blake! Good show, huh? Heard it all from here.”

“Yeah, good start!” Blake smiles, “I’ll have to let you in one of the shows someday. Let me know whenever you get a night off, okay?”

“Oh no, it’s fin-”

“Nu-uh, buddy! It’s the least I can do for the guy that keeps my home safe.” Blake says pointing at the black tour bus.  

“Thank you so much, Blake.”

“Anytime, man!” He says shaking his hand again, “See you later, I’m gonna go check if New York is indeed the city that never sleeps.”

“Have fun.”

Blake starts walking to the exit, but only a few steps later he turns around, “Where are you from?” He half yells.  

“Boston.”

“Are you married? Girlfriend?” He feels like someone has found a way to take his heart out of his chest and has crushed it to pieces on the ground when the words married and girlfriend come out of his mouth.

“Been married for 25 years now.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure to get you two tickets and the Boston night off.” Blake proudly says putting both hands in his jeans pockets.

Michael shows off a huge grin and nods at Blake, “My wife will freak out. I appreciate it Blake, thank you.”

 

He walks by groups of young people as he makes his way down streets he doesn’t recognize. He imagines he’s somewhere downtown or near a college, judging by all the young people. He slips his hands inside his blue jacket and opens the door with his elbow. When he steps inside he finds two tables of college students and a few couples on the back part of the room. The bar is empty so he decides to pull the stool over and sit down.

He thinks about ordering a full on bottle of vodka because part of him just really wants to drink it all and forget the pain but he shakes his head taking a look around. The place is quite crowded but no one has seemed to recognize him so far, and, for the love of god, he hopes it stays that way.

When he turns his head back to the bar he finds the bartender studying him.

“Welcome to Frederic’s. Would you like something to drink?” The young man asks.

Blake nods, “A Corona, please.” His voice is low and insecure and he almost shakes his head to ask for that gorgeous looking bottle of vodka that’s screaming his name like people in his concert, but he really shouldn’t. “No, Blake.” He quietly says.

“Excuse me?” the bartender catches Blake’s attention. He raises his eyebrows at the country singer and frowns.

“Nothing, sorry.” He excuses himself, “Just a Corona, please.” He sounds more sure of himself now.

“Coming right up.”

Blake unzips his jacket and then covers his face with his hands exhaling as if he had just run a marathon. Touring used to be fun, and tiring, but mostly fun. What had changed tonight? Why did he feel like he had run in the woods for 4 hours straight and he had no strength left? He hadn’t wanted to go on tour. Barely a few weeks ago he had walked in on his wife stradling some other guy on his favourite sofa in their Oklahoma property. As if they didn’t own more properties, no. The woman had to go and cheat on him in the only place that had ever felt like home since he had walked out of his childhood house almost fifteen years ago.

He hears a beer bottle open and his eyes travel up to watch the guy slide it over to him. He fake smiles at him, murmurs a _thank you_ and grabs the cold glass bottle bringing it to his lips to then let the liquid enter his mouth and run down his throat.

It just feels so good. He settles the bottle down again the moment a woman sits a few stools on his right. He doesn’t turn his head towards her but from the corner of his eyes he can see blonde locks escaping from under a grey hood.

His mind travels back to Miranda. The reason he had accepted to go on tour was because he didn’t want to see her again. He had let his manager and lawyer deal with everything: houses, cars, even instruments, he and her considered as theirs at some point. He didn’t even want their house in Oklahoma, no, Miranda could keep that, he never wants to walk inside that house ever again. He had honestly just agreed to tour again to not look for a new house, a new place to start a new life _alone._ That’s right. He’s Blake Shelton, but he feels so alone right now. He feels so stupid for having turned down a spot on some TV show about music, in LA, a few months ago. He had turned it down for Miranda. And the producers had gotten Tim McGraw in his place. He knew the show, _The Voice,_ was the new hot music competition on prime time and he could have been there. He could have been there helping people pursue their dreams but he had turned it down, for her. She had begged him not to take accept the job, saying they wouldn’t see each other much, that he would hate LA and that it was just a small music show. If he hadn’t turned it down, maybe Miranda would have still went ahead and ignore her wedding vows but he would have a place to run away to.

“I’ll have what he’s having.” A soft female voice makes his head turn to look at the blonde woman sitting two meters away from him. She’s looking at the bartender, but Blake’s staring at her. The hood almost covers her whole side profile but Blake sees her skin shine. What amazes him the most are the few strands of platinum straight hair slipping from under the hood. Without warning, the woman spins her head to look at him and Blake chokes. He doesn’t know how but he finally manages to swallow the last sip of beer and he coughs turning red. He would recognize that face anywhere. When he looks up again, a shocked but playfully smile appears on the woman’s face. He can see her full gorgeous face right now. Yes, he does recognize her. Who wouldn’t?

“Are you okay?” She asks making Blake look around as if he couldn’t believe she was really asking him. She laughs a little grabbing her Corona and taking a sip.

“Fine. I’m okay.” He moves nervously on his stool and then decides to completely turn his body to her. He’s not okay though. He can breath, he can feel his legs and can move his fingers, but his heart is still shattered. He forces a smile on his face and looks up again to her chocolate brown eyes.

 _Gwen Stefani._ What the hell is she doing in this bar?

 

________________

 

Gwen had just gotten back to her hotel room after a day long meeting with some fashion designers. She had started doodling clothes for kids a year ago and it was finally starting to work out. The one thing in her life that was actually working out at the moment. She falls against the cotton covers of her king size bed and sighs rolling on her stomach. She breathes in and out loudly, her chin resting on the covers and her eyes close. She wants to sleep but she’s not tired, and she doesn't know why, to be honest, because lately she doesn’t sleep a lot and she has always loved sleeping. But now every time she closes her eyes she can’t seem to find peace, so she rolls off the bed, changes into jeans a white shirt and slips one of her brother's comfy hoodies. She closes the suite door behind her and takes the steps to the groud floor. When the night summerly weather of New York hits her Gwen slips her hands inside the big pockets of the grey hoodie and puts the hood on her head. She walks towards no explicit destination until she looks up to find a red neon sign with the letters Frederic’s. A bar. She’s never been much of a drinker but her feet drag her inside without her fully wanting to. Maybe she needs a drink after all.

She had flown out to NYC leaving her kids with her soon to be ex-husband, as it was their week with him. She, still now, cannot believe her life has been reduced to this. To only seeing her babies two weeks a month and sleeping alone in a king sized bed every night. Some nights she just lays awake staring at the ceiling and the others she just cries herself to sleep. The man she had considered the love of her life had cheated on her so many times. As much as she had wanted to ignore the comments she had heard here and there throughout the years, everything became too real when she had found some texts she _so badly_ wanted to erase from her memory. She had accepted the meetings in New York just to feel productive again, to find a reason to get out of bed in the mornings other than her three precious kids.

When she steps into the bar she quickly scans the room to find two groups of college students laughing and drinking, some people at the back and a man sitting on the counter. She walks up to the bar area and sits on a stool. The man sitting three stools away from her doesn’t even look up to her so she ignores him. When the young bartender asks what she wants she doesn’t even know what to say so the first thing that comes to her mind is have whatever the mystery man is having.

It ends up being a beer, which she is totally okay with, because that’s something she can totally drink. She needs no fancy cocktail, scotch or whiskey right now. She just needs something soft and there’s nothing as soft as a beer, and even more if that beer is a Corona.

“I’ll have what he’s having.” She can see from the corner of her eyes, the man’s head turn to look at her. Intimidated by his stare she turns to look at him and let out a little laugh when he chokes on his own beer. When she gets a full look of his face, she believes she has seen that face somewhere. She cannot place it anywhere in particular but it kind of looks familiar and she doesn't know why. When he chokes on his own drink, she really hopes it's not because he recognized her. _Please, please, please._ She just really doesn’t want to be _the_ Gwen Stefani tonight.

Surprisingly he doesn't make a comment about her. He just sets the bottle down on the wooden counter and lays his hands on his lap. Gwen lets her eyes drop to his big hands to find no wedding ring, but a trace there of. The man has a thin whiter than his skin tone line on his wedding ring finger, much as the one she had a few weeks ago and that had banished from the lack of stepping outside her bedroom. When she looks up again seconds later the blue eyes of the man are on hers, looking at her curiously. She looks down hiding her blush which makes him draw a soft smile on his dimpled face as he turns his body towards the bar again, thinking maybe his gaze was making her uncomfortable. Gwen looks up again to find him staring at all the bottles of alcohol at the other side of the counter, instead of looking at her. Some part of her wishes he could turn 90 degrees and lock his blue eyes with hers again, but at the same time she hopes he doesn't because she's not sure of what to tell him and starting a staring contest with a complete stranger, who kind of looks familiar, is the last thing she wants to do.  

She watches his head brutally twist to find the speaker at his left and then turn to the bar section to spot the bartender looking at something on his phone. She watches him close his eyes with force and shake his head, bringing his hands to his curly hair. He looks so devastated Gwen's heart breaks for him. But all of this for a song? A song she doesn’t recognize, but that kinda sounds like country.

"Excuse me!" His voice is soft but demanding. "Hello?" He succeeds getting the young man's attention, who immediately walks up to him. The mystery man shakes his head again and reaches up to cover one of his ears. "Can you... uhm- Can you change the station or the song, just ple- _please_ ." His southern accent makes Gwen's eyes land on him again. She has always had a thing for a accents but there’s something about this southern accent and maybe his voice that has her heart beating so fast. _Wow, okay calm down_ . He sounds so _done._ So devastated. So broken. Gwen’s half smile turns to straight line when his voice cracks at the last please. She wants to jump over the two stools that separate them and place a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, or maybe just quietly stay by his side.

She hears him breath in and breathe out loudly. His hands start to shake on the counter as the bartender stares at the stubbly man in front of him.

“Change the song.” She half yells.

“I- uhm.” The young man says turning his head from left to right looking for the remote or whatever he needs to turn the damn song down. The mystery man grips the counter as he closes his eyes again.

“Please.” He says again.

The music isn’t even that loud. Gwen hadn’t even realized there was music playing until the man had started panicking over it. She can tell this song means something to him. Something he wants to run away from. She doesn’t particullary like the singer’s voice nor recognizes the song. Suddenly the song changes to something more chill and relaxing and Gwen mouths a _thank you_ to the bartender before standing up and sitting beside the mystery man. His hands are still gripping the counter but his eyes open again, blinking a few times to get used to the very low lights of the bar. Gwen keeps quiet as the man slowly lets his hands fall on his lap and ever as sluggish turn his head to look at her.

“Sorry.” It comes out as a whisper. Blake takes a few seconds to look at her. He had heard so much about this woman but he had never really met her, he had never really been in the same room as her before and he didn’t know anybody that knew her either. Her makeup free face makes him internally smile. He wonders if she has recognized him. Some people call him the king of country, and he knows he’s one of country's most famous faces at the moment, so there’s a big possibility that she indeed knows him, at least she maybe recognizes his face. If she does know him she has said nothing about it, so that’s why he decides to do the same. He doesn’t want to be _the_ Blake Shelton. And maybe she doesn’t want to be _the_ Gwen Stefani either.


	2. The Sound Of Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all like this! 
> 
> For Feds, thank you for being the best friend I could ever have. 
> 
> It picks up right where ch1 ended.

“Hey no, it’s okay.” Her tone is so soft that Blake let’s a shy smile form on his lips.  
“It’s just…”  
“You don’t have to tell me.” He wasn’t going to but he nods at her as a thank you for not pushing him. He almost says her name. He wants to say it out loud. He has been a fan of her and No Doubt for years now, and he has always wondered what meeting her would feel like. He’s surprisingly more calmed than he had imagined. Her eyes examine his face but quickly turns them away from him when his blue eyes find hers. Embarrassed, she looks down, taking her hood off and placing a strand of hair behind her ear.  
Blake plays with the beer bottle as he waits for her to look up to him again. He doesn’t know why but her brown eyes make him breath in and breath out at normal speed, he makes a non fake smile appear on his face and it also feels like she’s putting sellotape on his shattered heart. Who knew he had to encounter the queen of ska to somehow feel like a person again.  
He feels like letting her know his name is a way to start a conversation with another human being, even more if this human being in a stranger, so that’s what he does to break the oddly comfortable silence between them. “Blake.” He blurts out causing her brown eyes to find his again.  
“Excuse me?” The confused look on her face makes him chuckle.  
“My name is Blake.” He draws up his hand for her to shake. Her gaze travels to his big strong hand and she finally gives it, slipping hers in his.  
“Gwen.” She thinks about making up a fake name or just say G, but she scratches that off. He would have said something by now if he had recognized her.  
“Nice to meet you, Gwen.” He means it.  
She’s a very good actress if she’s indeed pretending not to know who he is. He just hopes he’s doing the same good job.  
“What brings you here?” She asks reaching for her Corona. He wants to say a lot. He wants to pour his heart out to her because she looks like someone who would listen to him. He sighs and leans back on the stool.  
“I needed a break, I guess.”  
"So," Gwen says tapping her long red nails on the counter, "what do you do, Blake?" The question catches him completely off guard. Dammit. He needs to think and fast. He cannot tell her he's a singer, because he's liking this, not getting to be Blake the country singer Shelton so much, for it to end so quickly.  
"I, uhm... I own a musical bar in Nashville." That's not entirely a lie because Luke Bryan and him did actually open Nashville's hottest musical bar a year ago and even though he doesn't hit the bar much he still owns half of it.  
"Nashville, huh?"  
"Well, yeah. I've always loved country music and since I can't sing I thought the next best thing was a musical bar." He tries to keep a straight face as he speaks. Gwen seems to be completely listening to him, with all the cells in her body. "I had Luke Bryan sing there a while ago." Blake realizes that maybe dropping Luke's name, someone that is equally as famous as him in the country music world, would give him the last opportunity to figure out if Gwen Stefani actually knows about him. But by the confused on her face she most definitely doesn't know Luke or him. He's having mixed feelings about it. In one hand he's glad to still be just Blake for the night, but his fanboy persona wished Gwen freaking Stefani knew about his existence.  
"Who?" There goes his hopes of the queen of awesome knowing about him. Oh well.  
"Luke Bryan. He's a famous country music singer." He explains himself. He's also one of his best buds but she doesn't have to know that.  
"Oh... Like Tim McGraw?" Of course she knows Tim!  
"Yeah, kinda."  
"I don't know much about country music." She explains, "sorry."  
"Nah, it's fine. You do look like a city girl." Blake decides to drop the subject because he's starting to get nervous, "So, what do you do?"  
Gwen thinks of what to say. He owns a musical bar but he still hasn't said a word about her being who she is. Maybe she is known everywhere in the world but Nashville? Nah. He must have been living under a rock all his adult life or maybe she looks unrecognizable without the makeup and fancy clothes. She's dressed in a pair of jeans and a oversized hoodie after all.  
"I'm a fashion designer." Again, not a lie, just not the whole truth. She's actually in NYC for a fashion deal so she doesn't have to put in her best poker face to keep on talking about it. Blake's eyes grow wide and she can't help but notice how blue and beautiful they are.  
"I would be your best client cos as you must have figured out by now I don't know how to dress. Like, I don't care if green and blue don't go together, I just put on whatever I grab first." His dimpled grin has Gwen completely hypnotized as a playfully smile dances on her face.  
"I mostly design kids clothes."  
"Oh... well if I shave I have the babiest face an almost 40 year old can have." Damn, he's not even 40? Gwen leans back a little bit as she grabs her Corona to take the last sip.  
He knows she's slightly older than him, even though she doesn't look like it. Most people don't even believe him when he tells then he's just 39 years old.  
"You're not even 40, are you kidding me?" Gwen asks, a shocked half smile on her face.  
"I'm not going to ask for your age because I'm a gentleman and my mother would probably hit me if I did, because that's on the _Rude stuff to not say or do list_ she wrote me when I was ten. But, I must say, you look younger than me." He's charming just like that. Gwen's smile intensifies on her face as she gazes at him and his damned dimples. She didn't know she liked dimples until now. Of course five year olds were cute with the little holes on their faces but she never knew almost forty year olds could pull off dimples like Blake over here.  
"You're lying!" She playfully hits his arm which catches Blake completely off guard. Not that he's complaining, not at all. In these few minutes with Gwen he has completely forgotten about all his troubles for awhile and has smiled more than in the past four months.  
"You're calling me old and I am hurt." The ironic tone of his voice and the grin playing on his face make Gwen show off her best smile at him. She normally doesn't laugh or comment on one's age but she has just blurted out and Blake doesn't seem to mind so far. "I can show you my ID card." He wants to take that back as fast as the words leave his mouth, because he's afraid his full name would ring a bell to her.  
She shakes her head then, "That was very rude of me to say, I apologize." She feels like that's the least she can say in this situation.  
"You're not the first and won't be the last. Don't worry." He’s actually smiling about this. Some other person would have just walked away but he just laughed it off. "Do you want another one?" He asks pointing at the empty Corona in her hands. She really shouldn't and it's not like she needs another one, but she accepts with a nod.  
"Two Coronas please." He says to the barman when he walks closer to them. He opens them for the two strangers on the counter and then goes back to his spot at the end of the counter.

  
There's a comfortable silence between the two of them as they take the first sip of their second beer.  
"What's a bar owner doing in a bar that is not his, in the city that never sleeps?" Gwen voice breaks the silence. The country singer sets the cold glass bottle on the counter and beams at her.  
I've been cheated on and my home is a tour bus. He doesn't actually speak the words but something tells him that Gwen would listen to him if he decided to open up to her.  
"What's a fashion designer doing in a college bar in the city that never sleeps?" He shoots back.  
"Touché." Blake takes a sit of his beer not tearing his eyes away from her. She's so damn gorgeous, it's ridiculous. He had seen pictures and videos of her before and he always thought she was stunning all dolled up. But right now? She's not even trying and his heart is beating out of his chest. No stranger had had this effect on his before.  
"What?" He realizes he's been staring for a while when her voice followed by a giggle stops his daydreaming.  
"You're gorgeous." It's out just like that. Simple. Easy. It had just rolled off of his tongue as fast as a thank you or a hello. He watches her head lean down and her cheeks turn red as she shyly hides her smile behind her hand. "Sorry, my mouth is faster than my brain and I say things without thi-"  
"It's-," she cuts him off, "thank you." She lifts her head up to meet his concerned face turn into a happy, lips pressed together, smile that has his dimples pop out and she's falling for them once again. Of course she had had people compliment her in several occasions but she had always been dolled up or at least with makeup on. Now? She's wearing a pair of jeans and a hoodie, something she'd wear around house, and her face is free of makeup. She rarely stepped out of her home, or in this case, a hotel, without a small touch of lipgloss. Blake, though, he just told her she's gorgeous, when she's dressed like this and probably has bags under her eyes. "You're not so bad yourself." She's not saying it because she feels like she has to, because he has complimented her. No. He really is an attractive guy. His broad chest looks like it would be a good pillow and she has a desperate desire to poke his dimples and run her hand through his nearly silver curls.  
"It's the dimples!" He says proudly as he pokes one of them. He's funny and that's a plus. She has never really been around funny guys before, but Blake has managed to make her smile, and laugh, more than she has in the last month.  
"You're rare, Blake. Different. I've never met a cowboy before. Everyone looks and dresses up exactly the same these days, and the fact that you don't mind what you wear, that your curls are wild like that, and that you probably haven't trimmed your stubble for a while is really something." People have always accused him of not trying, of always wearing the same clothes and the same boots every day. Even Miranda had started complaining about it shortly after that had gotten married. The fact that Gwen actually likes his looks makes a dimpled smile appear on his face. She likes that he's different. In no imaginary world he would have thought Gwen Stefani could have somehow congratulated him from being different from the others.  
The conversation shifted to studies in which Blake had explained that he had never gone to college and had left to Nashville as soon as he was old enough and had enough money to live in the city before getting a job. Gwen, on the other side had came up with a name for a design school in LA, which he had made no comment about it, and then she did tell him she lived in LA and flew to NYC from time to time for meetings and presentations.

 

  
When they finish their fourth beer, Gwen feels his hand on her knee and immediately looks up to meet his dazzling blue eyes. She was starting to feel the alcohol by now and by the silly grin on Blake's face he was getting there too.  
"So, uhm-" Blake begins, his hand not moving from her knee, "I should probably stop drinkin-"  
"Yes me too." Gwen agrees before he's able to finish the sentence.  
"Want to walk it off?" He asks, letting his thumb caress her clothed knee. Gwen's breath catches on her throat at his sudden move but she stays still on her stool. She looks up to the clock hanging on the wall and raises her eyebrows. It's passed midnight. Wow. They had spent more than two hours talking.  
"Yes, we probably should." Gwen puts her hand on her jeans pocket and takes a $20 bill but Blake shakes his head.  
"It's on me." He says as Gwen frowns.  
"We can split the bill, it's fine." She tries but Blake shakes his head again. "Let me jus-"  
"You'll pay for breakfast later." The cheeky smile on his face makes her roll her eyes at him. The sun will be out in a few hours, and he plans on spend them with her.  
"Confident." She teases making Blake leans his head back to let out a little laugh.  
"Do you have somewhere to be?" He asks in a more serious tone as he hands the young bartender a fifty dollar bill, "keep the change." He says turning his body to look at Gwen again.  
"Just here, with you." Completely sober Gwen would have never said those words but they roll off her tongue and she means them. Blake is making her forget her life sucks and that she is lonely and miserable when her kids are not with her. He is making her forget that she's going to sign the divorce papers in two months and that she will have to live alone in a house that will only be filled with children two weeks a month. He's making her forget about everything that sucks right now and by his reaction to the country song he's letting himself have a little fun too.

  
Blake opens the crystal door for her to walk out first which makes Gwen beam at him, as she zips her hoodiep. People rarely opened doors for her anymore and she hadn't even noticed it until now. Until a completely stranger named Blake had opened it for her. With this small and simple gesture the bar owner had showed more chivalry than her soon to be ex husband in the last three years. He hangs his jacket off of his shoulder as they step outside and stand in the sidewalk for a moment, both knowing where to go.  
"When I don't know where to go I usually go right, what about you?" Blake asks taking one step closer to her.  
"I usually check google maps." He chuckles at her response, brushing his hand on her shoulder. He has started touching and it's not like she minds, but she wonders if this is the beer effect, or he really is warming up to her, touchy feeling.  
"Let's just get lost." They both slip their hands in their pockets, as they walk down the empty street. They hear people inside the bars but there's no cars or people outside. Blake turns his head to look at her from time to time and she does the same when she feels his gaze is not on her anymore, until their eyes meet at one point. She bites her lower lip as Blake tries really hard to not let that movement affect him more than it should. Just that had sent chills all over his body. He tears his gaze back on the sidewalk again but when he looks up again, a few seconds later, he sees Gwen hug herself so he immediately puts his jacket on her shoulders, letting his hands linger on her for a few seconds.  
"Before you ask, I'm okay." He seriously needs to stop flashing those dimples at her if he wants her to stay on her feet for the rest of the night. Seriously, all of him, his small chivalrous gestures and his damn dimples are making her weak at the knees.  
"Won't you be cold?" He shakes his head with his lips pressed together. "Let me know if you do." It's summer after all, and even though NYC is not the warmest city of the country he's more than fine with his long sleeved buttondown. Silence accompanies them until they find a old cinema some blocks down. Gwen stops at the sight of a The Sound of Music poster and Blake almost collapses into her because he hadn't been watching her. His hands land on her sides as he tries to steady himself, "Oops." Gwen's eyes immediately travel up to meet his gaze. His eyes shine so bright in this summer night that she wants to get lost in them the whole night, she seriously considers on starting a staring contest because she can't get enough. Add to that the dimples that form on his face when he lets out a laugh. "Sorry." He giggles. She shakes her head at how much of a kid he is and then lets her hand rest against his chest. Now he's not the only one doing the touching. She's touching as well and now that she has started there won't be a way back to keep distance. She has never been a very touchy person but there's just something about him that she can't quite figure out yet.  
"I don't know if you're a movie guy but _The Sound of Music_ is my favourite movie ever and the late night session is about to start." She explains, taking half a step back from him. She points at the poster, a huge smile on her face that he cannot say no to, so he nods. He has seen the movie so many times, but as much as he would never agree to anyone close to him, the musical is one of his favourite movies too. Without saying a word he gets them two tickets, lifting his index finger up before Gwen is able to protest for him paying for the tickets.  
"Popcorn?" She asks as he, once again, opens the door for her to walk inside the theater.  
"Popcorn is mandatory at the cinema."  
"I'll get them for us." Blake doesn't protest. He watches her pay for the food and also get a coke, with one straw. He thinks about maybe reaching up to grab another but he decides to let it go.  
When they walk inside the room, it's almost empty, aside from a group of four people on the fifth row and a young couple at the back seats. Gwen throws him a look which Blake replies lifting his eyebrows up at her.  
"Don't tell me you've never sat on the back seats and did everything but watch a movie." His eyes grow wide as he tries to hide a laugh. Now that he thinks about it it's been years since he's gone to the cinema. And the only person he remembers kissing at the movies was some random date his firsts month in Nashville. He had been 20 by then and not some 16 over hormonal kid. So he shakes his head, "I don't believe you." She whispers as they sit down in the very middle of the 10th row.  
"I lived in a small village all my life and we didn't really have a cinema. It was more of a shower curtain hanging off a very dirty wall, and Saturdays were the only days they screened something so it was always full." Gwen listens to him as if life depended on it.  
"If it makes you feel any better, I haven't either."

  
They share the popcorn as the movie plays on the big screen. From the corner of his eye he can see her mouth the songs, all of them, but she smiles and mouths the lyrics of Maria's song more enthusiastically. He knows and recognizes her voice on the radio, and he really wants to know how her voice would sound singing this soundtrack. Halfway through the movie they finish the popcorn so Blake takes the empty basket and places it in the vacant seat next to him. He sees her grin as the Must Have Done Something Good scene begins and he can't help but keep his eyes on her, not even realizing he's full on staring at her. His breath catches on his throat as the screen illuminates and makes her features more visible. She's breathtaking. Before he has time to look back at the screen and don't get caught, she looks up at him, a small, shy smile dancing on her face as she bats her eyelashes at him. The song starts but he can only look at her, the movie long forgotten on the screen. He has seen this scene so many times, he knows it by heart. His eyes drop to her soft hand on the arm of the chair and stares at it for a few seconds. Something inside of him tells him that if he dared to reach for it she would accept it but he's afraid to do so. He stares at it, for what feels like forever, until he finally decides to just go for it. His hand travels, slowly, from his thigh to where hers is on the arm of the chair and tentatively lets it cover hers. She goes still at the touch, not because she's not okay with it, but because she hadn't expected it. She doesn't dare look up at him, too afraid the shocked expression on her face would make him run for the hills. She does let a grin appear on her face, which he catches from the corner of his eyes and responds to it with a light squeeze and then shifts his full attention to the movie.

  
They stay in silence as the credits roll off and the people that were sitting in the first rows leave the room. Gwen follows them with her eyes until she cannot see them anymore. She honestly doesn't know what to do. She hasn't done this in so long. Well going to the movies with a stranger is a first, but she has forgotten how to flirt and how to act on a date. Wait. Is this a date? It kind of feels like one but at the same time it is not. Shouldn't you accept to those? Blake hadn't asked neither had she. She comes back down to earth when she feels Blake squeeze her hand, causing her to look up to meet a concerned pair of blue eyes.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing, I just kept calling for you and you were somewhere-" he says lifting his free hand on the air, "Glad you're back." Their hands won't move. Blake doesn't want to let go of something that feels so comfortable, so new and different, but still so normal. Before they know the lights go down again and the cinema screen lights up again with a scene they both recognize.  
"Grease!" They say at the same time twisting their heads to look at each other. Their sync makes them throw their heads back laughing. Gwen lets her head linger against the seat and Blake takes a few seconds to stare at her while she laughs. She looks so free and full of emotions. She looks so calm and excited at the same time it makes his heart beat so fast on his chest that he can hear it. When Gwen brings her head back up and finds his eyes again she lets her laugh die and chooses to intertwine her fingers with his.  
"You want to stay?" Blake asks.  
"If it's alright with you."  
"More than alright."

 

When they step out the building it's almost 5am. Blake feels a little bit tired, from the concert and not haven't gotten much sleep the night before, but he's nowhere near going back to the bus, to that empty and silence room with wheels.  
Gwen walks by his side in complete silence thinking the same thing. She's has to catch a plane at 12 o'clock and she can always re-schedule if something goes wrong or she just wants more hours in the city that never sleeps. They had to let go of their hands when the stood up and walked out of the cinema but both of them had this huge desire to intertwine them again.  
"So," Blake begins as they wait for a pedestrian light to turn green. NYC is indeed the city that never sleeps. It's Saturday at 5am and there's cars driving around and some people on the street. "I never really had dinner." He says turning his body to look at her. His jacket on her makes him smile, she really can pull off anything, it's ridiculous.  
"I didn't either."  
"Okay so, we have two possibilities here." The light turns green so they cross the street and continue walking down. "We can either get late dinner or early breakfast."  
Gwen chuckles, reaching for her phone to check the time. 5am.  
"A very late dinner." She clarifies as she continues walking by his side. Suddenly Blake stops walking and Gwen has to take two step back to get to him again.  
"You know what I'm craving?"  
"What?"  
"Churros." Oh. She's totally up for that.

 

They’re walking towards her hotel near the Empire State Building, but only Gwen knows that. It makes her realize that she’s going to have to say goodbye sooner or later and that creates a tight knot on her stomach. This night with Blake has, and still is, amazing. It’s amazing how a complete stranger, that still kind of looks familiar, can make her feel like a teenager crushing on the football teams’ captain. The silence is also making Blake realize that he’s going to have to let her go sooner or later. He also thinks about what to say when they part ways, what to do. Should he lean in and kiss her? Does she have a special someone? Last he knew is that she was married to some singer, he believes. So there’s a big possibility she’s taken, that she has the luckiest guys on earth waiting for her back home. He wants so badly to be that guy. And he shouldn’t be thinking that because he doesn’t know her, at least not like the way he wants to know her. He wants to know which is her favourite colour, that movie that makes her cry and the one that makes her laugh; her least favourite meal and that particular dish she could live on. He wants to know her coffee order, or if she’s a tea person. What’s her favourite song, and which songs she detests. He wants to know if she’s a morning person or a night owl, if she likes the movies or prefers to sit down and read the books first. He just wants to know a lot and he doesn’t have time or a chance for that. There’s no way Gwen Stefani could actually be interested in someone like him.

  
Gwen's heart jumps out of her chest when he pulls out the chair for her. She wonders if he's always this charming or he's just trying to woo her. She hopes for the second. He tells her he'd be right back and she watches him walk to the counter to order churros and chocolate for both of them. She takes her time to watch him, the way his dimples form on his face, or how he moves his hands up and down and then slips them on his trousers' pockets. He's very tall as well which she likes because she kind of feels protected when he's around and he's also very handsome. She wants to caress his stubbly cheek and make it travel up to run it through his greyish curls. He's very cute and _oh_ so very sexy. She blinks a few times as she realizes what's going on. She never in a million years imagined this night would go like this; she never imagined she would be grabbing breakfast with one hot cowboy. She had never met someone like him before but she's slowly falling for hi- no, not him, she can't be falling for a completely stranger. Or maybe this is what love at first sight really is? She had always laughed at the the people that had told her that kind of love existed. She is not falling for him. She barely knows him. She cannot be falling for him, but she can completely fall for his persinality.  
He walks back with a blue tray full of delicious food. She's hungry and doesn't give two craps about all the calories she's about to ingest. It's probably been ten years since she's had churros.  
"You got a lot, oh my god Blake!" She wows at all the churros and hot chocolate and scoops closer to the table.  
"Well, we're having both, late late dinner and early breakfast so..." the dimpled grin on his face makes Gwen bite her lower lip. He's just too cute and so attentive.  
They eat in silence until the country singer speaks up again, “Want to play a game?”  
She raises her eyebrows at him questionly. “Your mind went directly to the gutter.” His dimples make an appearance on her face and Gwen chuckles because it indeed had. “It’s nothing, just 20 questions. You know the game, right?” She nods. “Okay, first question.”  
“Where are you originally from?” She asks.  
“Oklahoma.”  
"What about you?" There goes his first question, exactly the same as her.  
"California."  
"West coast girl, huh?" As if he didn't know. He wonders if he's being fair by not telling her that he knows who she is, but she looks so relaxed and completely unaware of who he is as well that he decides to keep it to himself. "What's your favourite place on earth?"  
Gwen thinks about the answer to the question for a few seconds until she replies, "Probably my bed." Blake throws his head back laughing, "My favourite thing to do is order pizza and lay around my bed all day. I love avoiding responsibilities." He would have never thought Gwen Stefani would respond that to her favourite place on earth. He has always pictured her as a ball of sunshine and energy. "What?"  
"I just- I never expected this answer that's all."  
"What did you expect?" She asks, curiously.  
"You look like a very active and full of energy person. Someone that never stops, that always has somewhere to go and definitely doesn't have time to lay around."  
"I can lay around and work. Women can do two things at the same time, you know?" The teasing tone of her voice has Blake biting his lower lip as he stares at her, his dimples out at full display.  
"I'm barely able to do one thing." She throws her head back laughing as she reaches for another churro.  
"You're very funny, Blake."  
"So I've been told."  
They take turns asking questions until they run out of churros and hot chocolate. Gwen had sneakily stolen Blake's cup at one point earning a curious but playful look from him. He had been playing with her hand once he caught it halfway through the game. She hadn't made a comment about it which made Blake wonder if she was actually still taken. He had discreetly checked for a wedding ring only to find her ring finger with no trace of it. Maybe she wasn't married anymore and he didn't know. He had never been into gossip much, he didn't give crap about people's lives. He also realizes she still hasn't said anything about her kids. He knows she has at least two of them. He's brought back to earth when he hears her call out for him.  
"Huh?"  
"You're staring."  
Shit. He was. He is. He just can't help himself.  
“I just-, you’re really gorgeous.” he turns slightly red as soon as the words leave his mouth, but there’s no going back now. She hides away her face and leans back against the back of the chair. She almost looks uncomfortable by his comment, “Sorry, I didn’t want to make you uncom-”  
“No, no Blake. I just-” She really doesn’t remember the last time someone called her gorgeous dressed like this, with her hair sticking out in every direction and with bags under her eyes. “This is very overwhelming.”  
“What is?” He asks scooting closer, hoping she’d do the same, but she doesn’t move. She looks out the window to find the sun starting to appear between the skyscrapers. She has been out all night with a complete stranger. A stranger that has done nothing but treat her right. Treated her like she had always wanted to be treated. And now he’s calling her gorgeous for the second time tonight and she is freaking out. She doesn’t know how to react. What is this they’re doing? As far as she knows she’ll be on a plane back to LA in a few hours and he’ll eventually go back to Nashville. When the night had started, she hadn’t expected more than a few hours out with him. A few laughs here and there an maybe a hug goodbye. But now they are minutes, or maybe just an hour away, before they part ways and she doesn’t know what to do about this. She stands up then. Without looking back and whispering a very quiet _I’m sorry_ she walks out the bar as she hers Blake call out for her. She steps into a semi crowded NYC street on a Saturday morning and she looks around not knowing where to go. Her hotel is somewhere around here, she knows that much.  
“Gwen?” His country drawl echoes inside her head making her cheeks twitch up a little bit. “Gwen.” He speaks again, gently placing his hand on her clothed shoulder. She turns around to face him in slow motion as people walk by them as if they didn't exist. “I’m so sorry.” He looks completely hopeless. He looks like a little boy, so scared. “I never wanted to make you uncomfortable, I apologize.” She stares at him as he apologizes and when he’s about to say I’m sorry again her index finger lands on his warm lips catching him completely by surprise.  
“It’s not you, it’s just all of this… This night and finding you. It’s just been so great and now I have to go because I have to catch a plane in a few hours and I just… You’re so amazing and I…”  
“This has been the best night of my life.” He’s talking without thinking again but the beautiful smile that appears on his face has Gwen wanting to pull her phone up and snap a picture. _He’s so handsome._  
“Mine too, Blake. Thank you.”  
“No, thank _you_.” His hand travels up to caress the side of her neck and then continues it’s path to her cheek where his thumb wipes out a tear that dares make its way down her face. "Good night, Gwen." The confusion written all over her face makes Blake chuckle and bring his other hand up to frame her face. She’s not pushing him away so he keeps his hands there for as long as he can. “I just feel like if I say good night and not goodb- you know, _that_ , it means I'll see you again. Somewhere. Good night gives me hope. The other doesn't." His sparkly and slightly teary blue eyes connect with her chocolate ones as Gwen leans her head against one of his palms. Before she knows it, he’s leaning down to softly press his lips to her forehead. He lingers there a few seconds and then pulls back. “Good night, gorgeous.” He says again before turning on his feet to start walking away from her. As much as it hurts.  
“Blake?” The moment he hears her call out for him he freezes on the sidewalk. A soft hand on his arm makes him spin on his feet to meet her gaze. Without a warning she gets on her tiptoes and brushes her lips against his in a barely there kiss that catches Blake completely by surprise.  
“Good night, stranger.”  
He stands frozen in place as he watches her disappear between the people. Just then he realizes she’s still wearing his jacket.


	3. Suit Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will they meet again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's pretend Sure Be Cool If You Did was in the Bring Back the Sunshine album and that it gained a Grammy nomination, okay?
> 
> Enjoy!

There hadn't been a day that he hadn't thought about using his fame to get in contact with Gwen. He had thought about asking his country buddies one by one, there had to be someone that knew her or that knew somebody that knew her. But he had never put his plan in action. The divorce news had hit the magazines shortly after thanksgiving and Blake had pretty much been into hiding since then. He had left on a hunting trip with a few of his buddies and then had spent an entire month, including Christmas and New Year's at his mother's place in Oklahoma. He had been invited to over ten parties to celebrate 2016 but he had turned them all down. He wasn't physically or emotionally ready for that. He had started to get over Miranda when the gossip magazines had announced their divorce and he had broken down again. Not because he missed her, but because everyone had started making up stories about how he had cheated on her and the divorce and all the mess had been his fault. On top of that, some people were starting to say that, that was just the beginning of the end of his career. He had erased all the social media apps from his phone and had been tempted to throw his phone into the lake at some point. He had even thought about flying out to LA and wait around until he spotted her. He hadn't done that either, thinking he would have maybe gotten himself arrested for stalking.

  


The moment Gwen had brushed her lips on his, an electrical sensation had run through her veins, something she had never felt before. Walking away from him had been the hardest thing she had ever done. And she barely knew the guy. When she had arrived to her hotel room and had fallen onto the bed and immediately had fallen asleep with the biggest grin on her face. She had just kissed a complete stranger. Wow. _Bravery_. The Gwen she knew would have never done something like that. Maybe tonight was the start of a whole new Gwen.. She had gotten back home in the 12 o'clock plane and immediately crawled into bed when her chauffeur had dropped her home, taking her luggage inside for her.

When she woke up in the middle of the night, her mind had first gone to her babies, which she would get back to in the morning and then to Blake. He had been in her mind since that day. She had spent Christmas with her children and her family at a ranch in Montana where she had tried her best to start forgetting about him. She would never see him again. She knew that much. Still, she had been thinking about jumping on a plane to Nashville to look for his bar. She had thought about doing just that so many freaking times. But never did.

 

He had gotten a Grammy nomination for his hit song _Sure Be Cool If You Did_ from his latest album Bring Back The Sunshine and as much as he didn't want to attend the ceremony, his team and manager had told him he needed to. He needed to step out into reality again, after being dead to the world since he had gotten back from tour in September. He didn't want to go because he knew Miranda would be there and from what he had heard she was dating again, while he was still grieving, still heartbroken. Heartbroken and lonely. When he learned that _Sure Be Cool If You Did_ had been nominated for best country song he had wanted to both, scream of excitement and hide away, because if there had been a little chance of him coming up with whatever excuse to not attend the damn award show, it had gone out the window with the nomination. And even more out the window when his manager had accepted on his behalf, to perform _Sure Be Cool If You Did_ during the show. He had to attend now. He would have to suit up, put on a fake smile, put a little bit of makeup to hide the bags under his eyes and sing on national TV and for the world. The only thing he had asked not to do was walk the red carpet, and he accepted no comment on it. He didn't want to smile at the camera and pretend to be okay on music's most important night.

 

Gwen was in the same position. She had to perform with Maroon 5 at the Grammy's. The song hurt as hell as she was having a hard time singing it at rehearsals. But it was the perfect opportunity to step out in the real world again. The perfect opportunity to get on the stage, the only real place she felt whole. She hadn't known Adam long but when her manager had called saying Maroon 5 were interested in working with her she had had to accept. Maroon 5 was a big deal.

She steps on the red carpet and immediately feels everyone calling out for her. She has missed this. She puts on her biggest smile as she waves at the people calling out her name. She greets people she meets, people she recognizes and people she has never seen before. She gets asked about the divorce twice and she replies the best she can. She also gets asked about a potential new album and she admits she has written a few songs, but when the interviewer asks for more she teases with a _we'll see_. She's enjoying it. She thought she would have been miserable walking the red carpet by herself, but as soon as she stepped on the red carpet she realized she had attended the major important events alone, the last two years. She got used to show up alone and to reply to questions asking where Gavin was. Tonight? Tonight she felt powerful, something that helped her get ready to hit the stage later. She had taken pictures with Adam and his wife on the red carpet, and also some with her good friend Pharrell Williams. She would never have enough words to describe how thankful she is for their friendship.

  


Blake hadn't walked the red carpet. When he got to the venue, the chauffeur had asked him if he wanted him to stop at the red carpet and he had gently shook his head. He had just gotten a text from Luke saying Miranda had just arrived. And she hadn't arrived alone. Blake had wanted to tell the driver to turn around and head back to the hotel but he had not for one only reason. Gwen was going to be there. He didn't have high expectations on seeing or talking to her, but part of him hoped they'd meet at some point. He knows she's performing. He is too. There's no way they won't see each other. He really can't wait to see her; but most of all he cannot wait to see the reaction on her face when she realizes who he is. He just hopes she doesn't get mad at him. He wouldn't be able to survive that.

He enters the theater from the backstage where he greets Jimmy Fallon, the host, and someone he calls a friend. They don't see each other much but they text back and forth and Blake loves it when he gets to go on Jimmy's show. He's such a great host.

"Hi buddy!" They share a bro hug that last longer than usual.

"How are you?" He sounds concerned but Blake tries his best to smile before he replies.

"I'm okay." His voice is low and not very convincing to Jimmy, who raises his eyebrows at him. "I've been better."

"You can talk to me, you know? I won't judge you. Blake, you're my friend." Jimmy places his arm on the cowboy's arm, who sighs and looks down. "It's okay not to be okay. It's fine that you come through the back door because you don't want to see her. Buddy, I know how hard it's been, and the fact that you're getting all the blame..." Jimmy breathes out, "it breaks my heart, man. I just wanna see those dimples of yours back in action." At that Blake chuckles and looks up again.

"Thanks, Jimmy." Blake hugs him again after the host gets called out to get the final touches on his look.

"Good luck, brother. I hope you kick ass on the country category. You deserve it."

"I bet my truck that you haven't even heard my song." Blake lets out a little laugh as he takes a step back and watches Jimmy do the same.

"Something about drinking." Jimmy imitates Blake's accent earning an eye roll from the country singer.

"Ha ha, very funny."

He sits beside Luke and Caroline in the first row on the left. Luke tells him that Miranda is a few rows behind by the corridor. He doesn't want to look back. He won't. He's not ready to see her happy and clinging to some other man’s arm. His head stops functioning when he sees Gwen's platinum hair at the other side of the room. He would have never recognized anybody from so far away but that amazing hair is difficult not to spot. She recognizes the man she's with, Adam Levine. They're standing very close as Gwen laughs at something the man says and even reaches up to gently poke his chest. He's about to tear his eyes away from them when another woman comes to them, her hand finding Adam's who softly kisses her on the lips, making Gwen look away. He completely understand her reaction. He had done the same thing this morning when Caroline had kissed Luke when she had come down for breakfast.

Soon enough the show begins and Blake tries very hard to just enjoy it but his mind goes back to Gwen. He has to remind himself to breath in and breath out when she steps out on the stage to sing. Not only she sounds incredible but she looks so beautiful and vulnerable at the same time. He had learnt that she had gotten a divorce shortly after him, and if the words were hitting him close home, he can only imagine she's feeling the same way.

He feels a tear run down his cheek and he's tempted to reach up and wipe it off but soon enough it gets camouflaged in his stubble. He doesn't want Luke to ask questions about his little emotional breakdown so he tries very hard to not his emotions take over him as he continues to stare at her. The beautiful red gown she's wearing shines in the darkish stage. He watches as Adam turns to look at her and shows off a little smile as Gwen starts to sing again. He can almost feel the pain and the tears as her mouth moves along the music. She's so breathtaking. She looks as gorgeous as she looked that summer night they spent together and Blake wonders how she does it. She can pull off a jeans and an oversized sweater as well as a very beautiful long red dress. Blake finds himself standing up as the song finishes, applauding them, mostly at her but only he has to know that. He's thankful for the few other people that also stand up to applaud the performance because other wise he would have been the only one. Not that he would have minded much. But still, it would have been kind of embarrassing and maybe she would have seen him. He didn't want her to see him from the afar. He wanted to maybe walk up to her, he wanted so many things he wasn't sure about what he really wanted anymore. What he knew for sure was that he wasn't leaving this room until he talked to her.

 

 

"Our next performer is a good old friend, one of country's most admired people and a voice that makes everyone, even the dudes" Faith Hill turns her head to the man standing next to her and raises her eyebrows at him. The theater bursts out laughing as Tim McGraw bites his lower lip as Faith carries on "weak at the knees."

"Hey! I'm not one bit ashamed." The country star jumps in. "Welcome to the stage, our good pal: Blake Shelton. We love you man."

Gwen listens as Faith Hill introduces the next performance. To be honest with herself, she's not really paying attention but she believes Faith is introducing some country artist she won't know about and someone that probably is going to sing about drinking and eating and women, just country stuff she has no interest in. Soon enough the lights turn down and a video is projected on a big screen. Gwen starts to pay attention then. She has always loved music videos and this one looks like it's going to be good. She can tell that by just the movements of the camera at the beginning as it enters a quite empty, lights down bar. The video shows young people sitting on a round table sharing a few drinks and then another small group by the little stage. The camera then changes to the bar section where a man is seated on a wooden stool nursing a Corona.

This all just looks so familiar. She frowns. A blonde woman appears on the shot and sits two stools away from the man, who doesn't even look up to her. It's as if someone had filmed her and Blake's night out in NYC.

"Who's singing?" She whispers to Adam.

"I wasn't paying attention." He simply replies. Gwen presses her lips together as a tall male figure is illuminated at the centre of the stage. She can't quite make out who it is yet because of the sudden light change. She closes her eyes and seconds later opens them again to get them to adjust to the bright red lights. When the soft yet strong voice begins her eyes finally land on the tall man standing in the centre of the stage. He stands under a reddish light as he lightly sways playing a maroon coloured guitar. The man, whose face she can't quite recognize yet, is wearing dark blue jeans, a white shirt with a maroon tie wrapped around his neck, and a black vest. When the chorus of the song starts and the man gets illuminated, her mouth drops. She would remember that face anywhere.

"Blake?" It's barely audible but from the corner of her eye she sees Adam turn his head to look at her.

"Who?" The Maroon 5 lead man asks her.

"Is he famous?" She honestly can't understand what's going on. _Her_ Blake is famous? He's singing at the Grammy's? Is he a new artists? Was he famous years ago and he's doing a comeback now? He's not even 40, maybe he was a prodigious kid? She's so confused right now.

"I don't-," Adam replies. "He's a cowboy, how will I know!" He exclaims. Gwen softly hits his arm and brings her eyes back to Blake singing his heart out on the stage. She's completely mesmerized by his stage presence, the guitar skills and his breathtaking voice. It's kind of raspy and sweet and so very appealing. _Wow_. She finds herself tapping her hand on her thigh as she lets the music take over her. He's singing about two people meeting in a bar. The guy falling for the girl, and him telling her that everything she does has him mesmerized. Gwen doesn't even realize it but a tear makes its way down her cheek to land on one of her hands resting on her black jumpsuit. The images playing behind him show two people that have moved and are now sitting side by side, facing each other as they talk, Corona in hand. The man has scruff and is wearing a green button down, while the platinum blonde hair girl is wearing jeans and an oversized grey hoodie. She realizes the blonde actress on the video represents her, and the actor him. She's completely taken away by his voice, the way he plays the guitar and smiles at the crowd behind the mic, that she doesn't even realize that closer to the end of the song he seems to be looking her way. She remembers being on that stage just 30 minutes before and not being able to see the crowd. Had he recognized her from his seat when she had sung with Adam? Does he have a seat or did he just stroll in and was planning to sneak out when he finishes singing? Did he know she was there? She had so many unanswered questions. A smile appears on her face as he smiles to her side of the crowd. A familiar feeling runs through her veins as she closes her eyes and is immediately taken back to when she had brushed her lips against his. The chills and butterflies on her stomach are back and he didn’t even have to lock eyes with her.

  


He vows down and charms the whole crowd with a shy smile as he tightens his hold on his guitar. Gwen wants to stand up and applaud like some people on the crowd but she finds herself unable to move. He had written her a song? By the music video it looked like it. _Wow._ Okay _._ She needs to get to him as soon as possible.

"What was his full name?" She asks Adam as she watches Blake walk out the stage.

"Blake Shelton." Behati jumps in as Adam shakes his head at Gwen.

_Shelton._

"He's kind of a big deal." Behati continues.

"How much of a big deal?" Gwen asks scooping over to face Behati who was sitting next to Adam.

"King of Country big deal." Gwen stops breathing. She feels the room go silent again and she figures the commercial break must be over. She spent one fun night with the king of country and she didn't know. He had to know who she was. He had to. She bites her lip embarrassed about the fact that she hadn't recognized him. But he hadn't said anything about her either. She had enjoyed being just Gwen that night, maybe he had enjoyed being just Blake as much.

  


He had enjoyed that performance. He had given everything he had on that performance since it had been his comeback after being in the shadows for a few months. He gets back to his seat in time to see Dolly Parton make her way to the mic to announce the country song nominees. He has no expectations. He hadn't even written the song but the writers hadn't been able to make it so they had asked him to pick it up incase the song won. He listens as Dolly calls out the nominees. He claps as the queen of country calls out Luke Bryan, his buddy is sitting right beside him and Blake will be as happy if Luke takes the Grammy home instead of him. Brad Paisley's name also gets called out. Tim McGraw's, then his and Miranda's. He listens as people applaud to all of them, and the fact that Dolly had said his and Miranda's name consecutively shatters his heart. They had always been side by side but they weren't anymore. And he was okay. He was. At least he was getting there. Learning to live without her was harder than he had imagined. And he hated her, _hated_ her so much. Lost in his thought he doesn't even hear Dolly call out his name and the songwriters. Luke has to call out for him and embrace him in a _bro_ hug for Blake to realize that he has won. He has just won a Grammy. His first one.

"Dude you won!" Luke's voice seems so far away. He hears people cheer and applaud for him and he realizes he hasn't felt this appreciated in a while. A silly tear streams down his face and he doesn't even bother to wipe it off. "You have to get on the stage and fast. Come on!" Blake stares at his friend and pats him on the chest. "Congrats man!"

"Thank you so much." Blake says before turning on his feet to walk up the stage. He takes Dolly's petite body in his arms and she whispers sweet words in his ear.

"So glad you're back." Is the last thing he hears as they pull away and he finally takes the award in his hands. He takes a moment to look up and see people applauding him. He lets out a little laugh as he realizes that half of these people don't even know who he is, but he’s not complaining. From the corner of his eye he spots Gwen. She's on her feet clapping like there's no tomorrow. A smile takes over her face as he meets her eyes and nods shyly. He could stare at her all night long but he figures he better say something soon or someone will come drag him off the stage.

"I uhm... Thank you, wow this is... holy moly, this is incredible!" He bends down to speak directly to the microphone. He needs to calm down a little bit, so he takes a deep breath and carries on. "First of all I want to thank Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Jimmy Robbins for writing this song. It literally started out as just another song on the album but one summerly morning, after a concert and a night out in NYC made me realize that I had to make it my single." His country drawl makes Gwen giggle as she listens to him talk. "I just never thought I would win or just be here in this room, after the last few months." He turns serious all of a sudden and turns his head to where Miranda is sitting. He watches her huff and roll her eyes. Blake takes a deep breath and continues, "I can’t believe this, thank you so much." With one last look in Gwen's direction he turns around and heads out of the stage, letting Dolly link her arm with his.

He's busy with interviews and photoshoots backstage but, half an hour later, he’s finally free to go back to his chair. He's staring at his beautiful award and he walks around the empty corridors of the theater. Suddenly, he stops walking sensing the presence of someone a few steps away from him. His eyes meet a pair of black shoes and then he starts to look up to finally meet _her_ eyes _._ She's here. Standing right in front of him again. Almost half a year later. Like he had done a few times that night he stares at her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Hi.” Blake’s cheeks twitch up as the word comes out of her mouth. She has the power to make him speechless. His hands start to get sweaty as he continues to look at her. His dimples pop out on his face and he looks down and closes his eyes for a brief moment. He takes a deep breath and fidgets. He has been waiting for this moment for such a long time. _Get a grip Shelton!_ He finally looks up again to find Gwen taking one step closer to him. He smiles at her and bites the inside of his cheek.

“Hello, Gwen.”

  
  



	4. Halls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here's the situation. Football Club Barcelona just made history in the European Championship and I'm shaking. I apologize for all the grammar mistakes, I'm just so happy cos I'm a football geek! oops!
> 
> Enjoy!

Yes, he greets her. Yes, he stares at her. Maybe a little too long. But he can’t seem to utter a single word. She had taken a step towards him as his _Hello, Gwen_ had rolled out his mouth and she had brightly smiled at him. What now? His hands start to sweat and he's afraid the Grammy will drop off his hands if he doesn't calm down. He knows Gwen, they've met before. He actually doesn't know her very well, but the soft, barely there press of her mouth on his still lingers on his lips. Before he comes up with something smart or funny to say Gwen's right in front of him with a shy yet beautiful smile on her face. What comes up next catches him completely off guard because Gwen hits him on the chest making Blake _ouch_.

"What was that fo-" His hand comes up to his chest to rub the hit spot.

"You are the king of country music and you didn't tell me?" A little squeal escapes her mouth at the end of the sentence making her lower her head for a brief moment, but then looking up again, realizing there is nothing she has to be ashamed about. Her straight face turns into a wide smile when his eyes connect with hers, and Blake swears he’s never seen a smile so beautiful. Ever since they had met, he had always felt like their eyes were like magnets, always destined to meet and connect with each other.

"I'm not such thing." Gwen has missed his country drawl, there was something about it, something so warm and homey. She lifts her eyebrows at him and purses her lips. _Don’t do that._ He says in his mind, _makes me want to kiss you._

“I googled you.” Blake lets out a little chuckle. “It doesn’t literally say king of country but oh my god Blake, 21 number ones, tons of _CM-_ something and _AC-_ whatever, now a Grammy… Who are you?”

“Blake.” He offers her his hand to shake as Gwen stares at him for a brief moment and then bursts out laughing, throwing her head back in the process. Her laugh makes him join her in a laughing battle. When their laughs die, Gwen brings her head back up and is met with Blake’s adorable dimpled face. His hand is still hanging for her to shake, so she does.

“Gwen.” She says letting her petite hand in his strong and warm one. She already feels more protected that she has felt in the past few months.

They may be standing on the halls of a theater full of music’s biggest names, he has just won an award and they have both performed, but it feels like they’re back at the bar.

_Just Blake, Just Gwen._

“Nice to meet you, Blake.”

“Likewise.” As much as he doesn’t want to, he lets go off her hand and looks down, not knowing what to do or say. “I… uhm,”

“That night… at the bar,” She begins, “Did you know I was,” He nods, kind of scared to agree that he indeed knew who she was. “Why didn’t you...”

“Say something?” he cuts her off. Gwen nods. He was kind of waiting for this question. “I uh… I know how annoying it can get when someone recognizes you when all you want to do is have a quiet night out.” She completely understands.

“I feel bad for not knowing who you were. So bad.” Her little chuckle makes Blake’s dimples pop out as he shakes his head.

“I’ll admit that my fanboy self was a little hurt but, it’s totally fine.” he runs his free hand through his curls and continues, “I mean half the people on that room don’t even know who I am!” He exclaims. He’s as humble as the Blake she met in that bar and she’s honestly so fine with it, because she hated when people used their fame or flashed it around. Gwen takes a moment to look at him. When she had met him he had a green shirt on and the same jeans he had on now, only he’s now wearing a white button down, a black vest that hugs his body in all the right places and a dark green pocket square. Blake really know hows to dress fancy but still maintain his cowboy roots. There’s an awkward silence in which they both look in different directions trying to come up with something to say.

"Congrats on the Grammy, by the way." She says breaking the awkward silence. Why is it so hard for them to maintain a normal conversation like the did half a year ago? Blake doesn't want this to turn into a _Good to see you, bye_ kind of conversation, he wants to keep talking to her. For a while. A long while.

"I gotta thank _you_." Gwen blushes a little bit remembering his words on the winning speech. "I would have never picked this song for my second single if it hadn't been for you. And I never thought in a million years I'd get a Grammy nomination, or even win the damn thing!" Blake lets out a little laugh as he brings his award up to his eye level. It's just so pretty, he’s really so proud of it because winning a Grammy had always been his dream.

“You dedicated a song and a video to me, after just spending a few hours together?” The look in her eyes reflects all kinds of insecurities and Blake wants to hug them all away from her.

“Why wouldn’t I?” His soft voice echoes inside her head, making her let out a shy chuckle that she tries to hide by covering her mouth with her hand. It takes Blake two seconds to reach up, with his free hand, and uncover her mouth. Gwen freezes at the contact but Blake’s sweet expression makes her relax and let her hand soften inside of his. "You mesmerized me, so of course I had to do what I did."

"I did?" He nods.

"Of course you did, like I couldn't stop looking at you and just-"

"Blake?" A male voice only the country singer recognizes interrupts his speech. _Dammit_ _Luke!_ He was ready to pour his heart out. He slowly turns around to face his best buddy, Gwen hiding behind Blake's large frame.

"Hey Luke. What's up?" He tries to act as normal as possible.

"I was worried you had ran away."

Blake shakes his head, letting his dimples pop out, "Still here."

"Who are you talking to?" The country star takes a few steps up to his friend and the mystery woman hiding behind him but stops and raises his eyebrows at his friend when he realizes who the woman is. "Hi!"

"Hello." Gwen replies shyly.

"Dude!" Luke hits Blake's arm unexpectedly. That's Gwen freaking Stefani.

"Oww, what the hell, man?"

"How do you two...?" Luke draws a circle between his friend and Gwen. The No Doubt front woman avoids Luke's eyes and searches for Blake's in desperation.

"She just walked by and was just congratulation me. Nice and simple." Blake says faster that he normally talks.

"How do you even know who he is?" Luke's sarcastic tone makes Gwen's chuckle while Blake just rolls his eyes.

"We he was on the stage a few minutes ago, so..."

"Right, right." Luke turns to Blake, again, "So the show is about to end, want to go back inside?"

"Not really, no."

"Mira-"

Blake shakes his head in panic, "I think I'll just maybe fly back to Nashville tonight or find myself a hotel room. I don't really want to go to the party." Blake explains, his eyes finding Gwen halfway through his explanation. She just nods at him, kind of agreeing because she doesn't feel like going to the party either.

"You're a boring grown ass man, Blake Shelton."

"See what I have to deal with?" He tells Gwen who draws a soft smile on her face, just for him. He just looks so handsome, a little thinner than the last time they saw each other, but still as tall and charming.

"Okay, so I guess I'll see you soon." Luke's disappointed look makes Blake's heart break a little so he gives in.

"One drink. One drink and that's it."

"I've lost count on how many times you said that." Blake shots Luke a look making him understand that Gwen didn't need to hear that. "Nice to meet you, Gwen."

"Likewise."

"See ya later, Shelton!" He says as he turns on his feet to go back to where he came from.  

There's a silence while Blake watches his friend walk away until he turns back around. He looks down to spot a camouflaged sad expression on Gwen's face.

"Hey!" His knees buckle a little bit so he can find her eyes. When he does he hold his gaze on hers until she, slowly, starts to look up again. "I was starting to get torticollis."

There he goes again making a silly smile appear on her face. She hates how he always has the right joke or comment ready to make her smile at him like a love sick teenager.  "Are you okay?"

"I'm just happy to see you again."

Gwen's happy to see him. _Wow_. Okay he needs to start breathing again or he'll drop dead.

"Me too, Gwen." There's a tiny pause in which Gwen really takes the honesty of his eyes in and then she speaks again.

"So I guess you do not own a music bar in Nashville seeing that you _can_ sing." The teasing smile on her face makes him wet his lips and them biting down his lower lip.

"I do, actually." She raises her eyebrows at him, "Luke and I do own a musical bar in Nashville."

"Can I be honest?" Gwen asks.

"Please." He urges which makes him close his eyes for a brief moment to hide away his shyness. "I mean..."

She cuts him off before he has time to explain himself, "I can't count the times I almost got on a plane to Nashville to look for your bar." He talks without looking at him, too scared to meet his eyes, scared to show her emotions at him.

His hand reaches up to find her cheek but stops halfway. She's close. Not too close, not as close as she had been that morning in NYC semi-crowded street as she slightly pressed her lips to his in a barely there kiss, he had replayed over and over in his mind. A shy press of lips he wants to repeat, and maybe press a little bit harder and make it last longer. Her pink lipstick covered lips scream to be kissed but he doesn't know if he can do it, if she's available or not. There's a big possibility she's not, because truly, who wouldn't want to date this incredible woman? Who wouldn't want to put her broken pieces back together? So he puts his hands down but opens his heart to hers. Her eyes grow wide at his action but then drop to the floor when he brings his free of Grammy hand back to his sides. She wants to tell him that it's fine, that she's been waiting for him to touch her again since he last grabbed her hand that morning at the churros place.

"I'm not ashamed to accept that I had wanted to walk the streets of LA hoping to see you, but I realized that I would probably would have gotten arrested for stalking." She chuckles, "I also wanted to ask some of my buddies for a way to contact you, but then I realized none of those country hunks would ever dream of knowing you." A full belly laugh comes out of her making Blake jump a little on his feet. He's used to people laughing at his jokes but Gwen's a whole other level. And he's not complaining one bit because he loves her laugh.

"I guess it's good that we decided to attend the Grammy's then."

"I wasn't going to." Blake whispers, his eyes falling to the ground.

"Why not?" He takes a deep breath and brings his eyes back to hers.

"I recently got divorced and..."

"Recently?" Her voice echoes in the corridor making Blake jump on his feet. "Blake I... But you... I kissed you, for god's sake!" She turns around ready to run away from him but he's faster. He stops Gwen from taking another step as he stands in front of her making her slightly crash against his broad chest.

"Hey!" His hand lands on her arm, steadying her. Gwen takes a step back, her head down, too embarrassed to look up. "Look up, please." She doesn't. "Gwen," he tries again with a softer tone, "I wasn't legally divorced back then, but I was single, not attached, not... hell! I don't know, call it whatever you want but don't feel bad because of that. I know one probably not unmarried until the judge says so but, I..."

"I just got a divorce as well." She didn't want to pour her heart like that but she felt comfortable enough to do so. She finally looks up to watch Blake nod. "You knew."

"I've been..." he trails off, a small dimpled smile appears on his face that makes Gwen beam back, " _googling_ you." He bites in his lower lip, making the dimples mark on his face even more. _He needs to stop doing that._ "And I've probably watched all of yours and No Doubt's videos on youtube, even the fanmade ones."

"You... really?" How is he even real?

"I guess I came to a moment that I realized I was never going to see you again and that was the only way to be closer to you, somehow."

"I guess I have a lot of homework to do, then."

_She's back._

 

 

As soon as they step inside the after party, separate ways, they know something just feels wrong. Blake enters the room some minutes after her, because the paparazzi ask him to pose with his award before entering the room. From the afar, he watches her enter the room with Adam Levine and his wife, as Gwen had told him. When he steps inside the room he encounters two types of people: the ones that congratulate him for his award and others that whisper whenever he walks pass by. He tries to ignore the second kind, and also ignore looking for Miranda. He doesn't need her. He doesn't want to see her. He only has eyes for the sparkly happy blonde standing by the bar talking to, he checks again, yes Bono. She's Gwen Stefani after all. Of course she knows Bono. She looks so stunning it's getting hard for him to concentrate on anything that is not her in that black jumpsuit, that impossible as it sounds it shines in the dime lighted room.  He knows some people around here are talking about him and Miranda. Not that all of these famous people are interested in them but him and Miranda had taken over the covers of magazines and gossip news the last few months. From the corner of his eye he sees people pointing at him and then whispering what he believes are not sweet words. Not at all. Miranda is at the other side of the room, kind of close to where Gwen is. As far as everyone in this room, he doesn't know Gwen and vice versa. Miranda is talking to some woman he doesn't recognize when her new man interrupts, handing her a drink. They were together for 13 years, it's only normal for him to look away when she brings a new man to this kind of events. He swallows and then spots Luke waving at him from the bar, so he decides to walk up to him. He turns down the drink his country pal offers him. He doesn't feel like drinking. All he wants to do is leave this room, preferable with Gwen by his side, and take her somewhere where they can both just be themselves and not pretend they're having fun at a party both of them don't want to be at in the first place. He turns his head to spot her again, to find her sighing sadly while she listens to Adam talk with Bono. She nods and beams, nothing else. He lowers his head and chuckles; he's been there, done that. When he looks up again he finds Gwen looking his way. Her eyes jump out of her body as a beautiful white toothed smile appears on her face. He tilts his head towards the entrance but she shakes her head. Blake frowns and she chuckles silently, but catching Adam's attention. Blake reads their lips from the afar and sees her assure her friends that she's okay. She plays along for a minute and then scans the room to find Blake by the toilet's entrance. _Clever boy._ People haven't had enough drinks to go to the toilet yet. She excuses herself from the conversation and hugs Bono goodbye, before walking across the room to the toilets area.

"I really need to pee, but" Gwen chuckles and takes another step forward, "I'm thinking about heading out and by the look on your face back there you weren't enjoying yourself much either."

"Not really, no."

"So... want to go somewhere?"

Is he asking her out?

"I mean..." He presses his lips together and tears his eyes away from hers.

"Yes." It rolls out of her mouth before she's able to elaborate a more coherent and less needy answer, but the dimpled grin on his makes her cheeks burn up.

"I don't know the city so we can just get lost like we did in NYC." He wets his lips and bounces on his toes in excitement. How can a grown up man be this cute, Gwen wonders. He's just like a kid.

"I live here, you know that, right?"

"Let's pretend you don't."

"You're weird, Blake." Her hand lands on his chest when she says the words. It was supposed to be a friendly pat but Blake traps her small hand in his and then lowers both of them intertwining their fingers slowly.

"Let me go inside for a moment," he says pointing at the man's toilet with the hand holding his Grammy, "and then we'll go?" He asks squeezing her hand. She can only nod as her cheeks twitch up in excitement. An hour around him and her face hurts, the good kind of hurting, from smiling too much. Or maybe she hadn't smiled this much in a while and her muscles were accommodating back to their task again.

"Sure. I'll go inside too. Meet you out here in five minutes."

"Five??" It comes out in a high voice which causes Gwen to throw back her head.

"Jumpsuits are tricky." She says biting down her lower lip while brushing her hand on his shoulder as walks past him.

When he hears the door close, Blake closes his eyes and breathes in and out.


	5. Chapter 5

Gwen applies a little more of pink lipstick as she stares at herself in the mirror. Putting the lipgloss back inside her small black purse she takes her phone out and checks the time. Almost 12 o’clock and no messages. She takes that as good news. Her sons are with their dad and she’s off mum duty until Monday, as much as it pains her to not see her loves, she is enjoying this night so much. She knows she needed to get away from her house and have a little fun. What she didn’t expect was to find Blake of all people at music's most important night. During her internal monologue the bathroom door swings open and two blonde women step inside. From the corner of her eyes she sees them but recognizes neither of them, although their southern accents do catch her attention though. 

“Just… the fucker leaves me and then goes on tour saying that he doesn’t want to see me again, and now he’s back on Nashville like conquering the territory, piece by piece, so music producers choose him over me.” One of the women speaks as Gwen pretends to wash her hands. 

“He was always like that,” She hears the other voice, “Always ahead of you when it came to Nashville and he liked to flash it around.”

“He cared more about his damned career than me. People always went to him and then if it pleased them, or they had time , they talked to me.” The first southern voice speaks again, “And now the academy gives him the damned Grammy?” she huffs and places her hands on her eyes, shutting them in anger. “He didn’t even write the fucking song, and what was that video with the stools anyway?”

That does catch Gwen attention. She stops fixing her hair for a second and tears her eyes away from her reflection to watch both women through the mirror. One of them meets her eyes and making Gwen completely look away, trying to pretend she wasn’t listening but getting caught in the action.

There’s three taps in the bathroom and Gwen’s occupying the one on the middle, so both women walk to use the two remaining ones, making Gwen stand awkwardly in the centre, trying to come up with something to distract herself with because she’s pretty sure the two women are talking about Blake, and even though they don’t seem to like him very much, she still wants to listen. The two women stare at her for a moment, and even say  _ hello _ , which Gwen says back. She finds an eyeliner on her bag and takes her time to redo her eye makeup. 

“He’s an ass.” One of the women says making Gwen bit the inside of her cheek, stopping herself from defending Blake. 

“He even had the balls to mention the last few months” The woman who Gwen imagines had something to do with Blake, imitates a male voice, “and make himself look as the victim when I am!” She smashes both her hands on the tap, starting Gwen. “Sorry.” Both of their eyes meet as Gwen gives the girl a fake smile.

“It’s fine.” She says putting the eyeliner on the bag and checking herself up on the mirror one last time. She takes a few steps towards the door but then stops, turning to both women, to find them looking at her through the mirror. “I thought that  _ stools  _ song was beautiful.” She says before she takes one last step to open the wooden door. 

 

"Does your ex wife happen to be a blonde with sparkling blue eyes?" She asks as soon as the door closes and has time to fully check if they're alone. Blake's leaning against the door admiring his award when he hears the words. He panics. Lifting his eyes to Gwen, he watches her questioning face and he nods once. 

"Is she-"

Gwen lowers her head and looks up again, hating the scared look on his face. "She's inside and she's not happ-" before she's able to finish the sentence the two southern women exit the bathroom, stopping dead on their feet when the two of them see Blake and the woman who was inside the bathroom, barely a minute before, whom they both identified as Gwen Stefani, facing each other. Gwen's eyes never leave Blake's as she watches all kinds of emotions passing through his eyes. He watches his skin turn pale and his hands grip his Grammy. He exhales and closes his eyes before letting them travel to both women. He doesn't speak, he can't. It's his first time facing Miranda since he had walked away from the room when he had signed the divorce papers two months ago, and he had barely looked or shared a word with her then, so now is basically the first time seeing her since he had walked out, what was their property in Oklahoma in the summer. He knew this situation could happen tonight, and he had told himself he was ready for it, but now that he's looking down at her, his heart beats in anger. It doesn't beat in heartbreak. It beats angrily, the completely opposite of warm and tranquility when he speaks with Gwen. His eyes find Gwen's and he sees her mouth a  _ no _ . He doesn't want to cause a scene, and totally not with her here. 

"Blake." Miranda's voice is harsh, it makes him press his teeth together, holding the anger inside of his body. 

He doesn't say a word. He doesn't want to. She doesn't deserve it. "Looks like you gained a fan." His eyes drop to Gwen, who takes a deep breath pressing her lips together. "Funny how the country world has forgotten about you and you had to pay whoever you had to pay to win the _damn_ Grammy. _"_ Gwen watches him lower his head and tighten his hold on the Grammy as his hands tremble a little bit. This woman has the power to reduce him to dust, and she's not here for it. Before she's able to utter, she hears Blake's country drawl. 

"I don't care what you think of me anymore." He sounds scared. His tone is not his typical charming and soft one. He sounds devastated. 

Gwen decides to turn around, she's had enough. 

"What are  _ you _ doing here anyway?" She asks Gwen. There’s no way someone like her knows who Blake is. 

Gwen lets out a sarcastic laugh, "Where I come from, we congratulate people that win awards." 

"I'm pretty sure you don't even know who he is." This woman is getting in her nerves faster than a Formula 1 car. 

"Don't have to, to congratulate him. I'll even get both of us a drink, come on." She turns to Blake again, whom lifts his eyebrows at her but follows her to the bar, leaving a very confused Miranda standing by the bathroom door. Gwen knows they have their eyes on them so when her and Blake get to the bar she turns to the country superstar and offers him her hand to shake. Blake frowns, it takes him two seconds to understand what she’s doing. She’s pretending that they have just met to keep their cover and piss off Miranda. He’s here for it. 

"I'm Gwen, by the way." She flashes a smile his way, making Blake's eyes turn from sad to happy in just a moment. 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Blake." He takes her hand to shake it softly as his other hand hold his beloved Grammy. They don't turn back their heads to look back at the southern women but if they had, they would have seen two questioning faces and a very pissed of Miranda. 

 

 

The fine glass of whiskey down their throat and some fancy sweet potato crisps later, Gwen leans against the bar to stare at him as he plays with his empty glass and tapping his fingers on the side of the Grammy. 

“So,” his eyes move to hers the second she opens her mouth which makes a little smile appear on her face, “still want to head out?”

His sides twitch up as he leaves the empty glass alone and turns his body to completely look at her. “I came with Luke, I don’t have a car here.”

“My driver will be outside. Let me text him and I’ll ask him to pick us up in the back entrance, we don’t want to wake up to gossip magazines making up fake stories.” He actually  laughs at that, but right now he’s not thinking about sleeping and waking up. Right now there’s only her and if he’s going to have to buy her breakfast like the last time, he definitely will. 

“Okay but… what do I do with the Grammy?” Right, this is his first time winning the award, he doesn't know how this works. “What? Why are you laughing?” 

“I uhm… I just realized this is your first Grammy and that you don’t know how this works.” 

“Okay miss I have three Grammy’s, what’s the next step?”

“You really have been googling me, have you?” She shots him a teasing smile that has him biting down his lip as he moves closer to her. 

“I even saved a few pictures on my phone.” He winks at her and then moves back with a teasing beam on his face. 

She shakes her head incredulously and chuckles, “You’re something, Blake.”

She explains that he has to drop the award off at a room where they will get in on a fancy box and then send it to wherever he says in a few days. He ask for them to drop it at Warner Nashville, since he doesn’t know when he’ll get back home. He feels free to move both hands around when the young man, with white gloves on,  takes the award from him. He feels kind of sad at the same time because that’s his prize, his beloved Grammy, running away from him, at least for a few days. 

“Do I need to get you a tissue?” Gwen teases tilting her head to find his eyes. 

“Ha ha, very funny.” 

 

Gwen decides to go ahead and leave first, as Blake says goodbye to Luke so his buddy doesn’t freak out at his absence. He tells him he’ll get a room at some hotel and fly to Nashville in the morning. Surprisingly, Luke doesn’t ask any questions which makes Blake frown. He always asks questions. He figures his friend has had a few too many drinks by now so he just hugs him and kisses Caroline on the cheek goodbye and makes his way outside by the back door, as Gwen had told him. He finds her leaning against a black sportive car that looks so not her or him. 

“Don’t ask. It’s not mine.” He zips his lips as they get inside the car, Gwen on the driver’s seat. She takes her heels off and reaches in the back part of the car for a pair of vans. Blake’s eyes grow wide as he looks at her put them on. The black and white shoes do not match her outfit, but they somehow look good on her. 

“What about your driver?” He asks, once Gwen starts the car. 

“Gave him the rest of the night off.” She says turning left instead of right, “That’s the main road aka the paps road.”

“Right.” He reaches to put some music on to find XMRadio, in other circumstances he would change the station but Gwen starts to hum along so he sits back on his seat enjoying her humming turn to singing. He has always loved her voice, it’s that kind of voice that you’d recognize anywhere. “Where are we going?” He asks, when the song comes to an end. 

“You’ll see when we get there.” That takes them 30 minutes, in which they share random stories of different after parties. She wants to ask what’s the deal with his ex-wife because she had heard her say he had left her, but by the look of insecurity and his trembling voice when he had spoken to her, Gwen knows there’s more to it. She’ll wait for him to open up to her because she’s in no right no ask. She figures that if it was the other way round, Blake asking her about her divorce, she wouldn’t like it, being so straightforward, so she waits. 

 

They don't even know how they really got here but as soon as they step on the Santa Monica pier, Gwen wraps her arms around her body. She didn't get a cardigan or any sort of clothe since she was going to spend the whole night indoors, but just as months before Blake had walked his way into her life again, and here he was taking his blazer off and then lifting it up for her to put her arms inside the holes of the sleeves. The nod he gives her is enough for her to understand that he won't take no for an answer so she beams up at him and lets her arms be covered by the sort material of his blazer that just happens to smell like him. His cologne is a mixture of the warmest summer and the coldest christmas afternoons all together, just like his personality. He can be very serious and deep but seconds later turn the conversation to the silliest subjects. 

When they’re in the middle of the pier, he puts his hands on his pockets and presses his lips together. He knows he has to say something about the encounter with Miranda at the outside of the bathroom, but he’s just scared. Scared to turn this fun, uncomplicated night into tears and bringing back insecurities. He looks her way and finds her staring at the horizon until her head turns to the right to meet his gaze. 

He takes a deep breath, “That was Miranda.” His voice is low, but he manages to hold her gaze, “We were married for four years, together for thirteen.” 

“I, uhm…”

He stops walking, “No, please. Let me… get it out.” 

She stops walking as well, and takes a step forward to him, “Carry on.” She says, her eyes never leaving his. 

“I haven’t told anyone this”

“You don’t have to- right, sorry.”

“I know we don’t know each other much but somehow I feel like I’ve known each other forever,” She nods enthusiastically at that which makes Blake’s dimples appear on his face. That’s a good sign, Gwen thinks. “I don’t know how or why but I just… There’s something about you that makes me trust you. You look like someone that likes to listen and that won’t judge me. I’m so tired of being judged.” He says taking a step back to lean against the bar.  “Country music is like a big family, we all know each other and everyone respects everyone. We..." he takes a deep breath and places a hand on his neck, rubbing it nervously, "they called us  _ the  _ country couple." He breathes out trying to hide a sob that still comes out making Gwen move to stand before him rather than by his side. "I thought she was it, you know? I wanted everything with her and we kinda had it all. Successful careers, fans, tours, houses, and  _ love _ . At least I thought we had love, but I guess I was the only one feeling that way." 

"I'm so sorry, Blake." His eyes drift away from hers for a moment to stare out at the dark sea in front of them. Bringing his eyes back to her he spots a tears running down her cheek, but she wipes it away before he has time to bring his hand up to do it himself. 

"I know I'm a little childish and used to drink a little too much but I respected our vows, I always did. I grew up with divorced parents, I know how much it hurts. I know how many nights my father fell asleep crying and how many sleepless nights my mother had, trying to figure her life out and still have the strength to raise and take care of me and my siblings. I never wanted that to happen to me. I wanted forever but our forever lasted only a decade." He doesn't even try to hold back the tears anymore. He lets them fall on his cheeks to be saved halfway by two very soft thumbs as Gwen's hands land on his cheeks, his blue eyes growing wide at the unexpected by comfortable touch. Her touch feels like marble, like touching his favourite brand new plaid shirt or caressing a baby's face. It just feels right. "I'm tired of crying." It comes out as a whisper but she catches it because she's so close to him. As close as she had been on NYC. He never wants to move. He doesn't know what to do with his hands, should he reach out for her? Shouldn't he? He doesn't know so he keeps them at his sides. 

"She doesn't deserve your tears."

"I know." 

"Blake... the way she treated you back there? " she shakes her head, "Don't let her words get to you because you're so talented. I only needed a song to realize that." Both her hands leave his stubbly face to land on his upper arms, squeezing them a little bit. "And about the divorce thing... I know it hurts." She takes one step away and turns around from him. She takes a few steps to stop in the middle of the pier, "Hell! Adam had to drag me out of my house to perform. I'm constantly scared, like I'm not enough on my own but at the same time I'm so glad I finally found the  _ balls",  _ she sees him draw a soft smile on his face at the word choice which causes him to chuckle softly, "to kick him out. I finally found the strength to leave the toxic relationship we were in." Her voice is low and she spins on her feet to not look at him directly in the eyes as she speaks which Blake respects. He knows how hard it is to hold someone's gaze when talking about deep stuff. He takes the two last steps that separate them and lifts his hand up to her shoulder. His hand trembles before it finally lands on his body as he exhales and she freezes. “I feel better now. Stronger.” His chest collides with her back when she leans a little bit back, making Blake catch his breath. They stay, chest to back, for a minute as they let silence take over. Gwen stands still, her linking and coming up to her chest as Blake’s right hand stays frozen on her shoulder. The feeling of their clothed bodies touching is rendering him speechless and by the looks of it she’s somewhere near as well.

“You know”, his head tilts to the right to speak directly to her ear, “I think you’re the strongest person I know. You say you feel stronger now? The Gwen I met in NYC looked as strong as you do right now, maybe you forgot to be strong somewhere these last few months but you found your way back, and I admire you for that.” 

“Thank you”, she says turning around to face him. 

“Meeting you in New York made me realize that there was a way out of the rabbit hole I was in. It took me a while and christmas was hell and seeing her today with  _ him  _ shattered my heart and I wanted to punch the nearest wall, but”, he explains calmly, “being around you makes me want to be a better man.”

 


	6. Your eyes could make the moon jealous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a result of a lot of songs, but I mostly based this chapter off of Kelsea Ballerini's Yeah Boy and Looking at the Stars.

 

He shoots her a questioning looks when she asks for a veggie burger in the only place they find open so late at night, but of course he makes no comment about it and lets her go ahead. She also gets fries and a blueberry shake. Blake on his part, gets a double cheeseburger, same fries and a chocolate shake that he promises to share, when she bats her eyelashes at him and opens her mouth realising that she would have liked the chocolate one better. They ask them if they want dessert but he shakes his head saying he has other plans for that. When the man behind the counter turns around to shout out their order at the cookers, Gwen raises her eyebrows at him, a little teasing smile playing on her lips. 

"My intentions are pure, I assure you”, he says bringing his hands up in innocency. The ska turned pop singer stares at him and finally nods, letting Blake catch his breath again. 

 

They end up having dinner sitting on a bench at the end of the pier, staring directly at the horizon of the pacific ocean right in front of them. It's not a full moon night, but it will definitely be tomorrow, so the light the moon makes is enough for them to not really need any lampposts, and she just looks so dang gorgeous under the moonlight. It brings out her brown eyes and accentuates her bright smile, a smile he's getting addicted to and that just looks so amazingly kissable.  

"People used to look at me weirdly when I put mayonnaise on my fries." She says opening her last little plastic bag, "It's a shame they only gave me two for so many fries." She pouts, pouring the sauce on her fries. 

Blake beams at her as he puts his hand on his pocket taking five extra mayonnaise bags. Gwen seems to be distracted with her fries so he clears his throat as he swings the little plastic bags on the air. When she looks up her eyes grow wider at him, "I'm a mayonnaise freak." 

"Oh my god Blake!" She laughs, tilting her head back. "You stole them?" 

He shakes his head grinning, "When he turned around." His dimpled smile makes her heart melt, "I don't know why burger places never give more that two bags, I mean it's ridiculous!" He exclaims. 

They end up sharing the fries and exchanging shakes when Gwen tries his chocolate one saying it's the best she's ever had. After that he just has to let her have the rest of it, and her blueberry drink ends up being better than he expected. 

  
  


It's around 2am when they sit down on the cool sand of the beach. Blake assures her that sitting on his blazer's not a problem so, seeing that it was big enough to be a long dress on her, she doesn't take it off. It's big enough to cover to above her knees so her jumpsuit doesn't get ruined by the sand. 

"You're probably the only person to ever wear jeans at the Grammy's." She points out, hugging her knees to her chest. They're facing each other which makes it easy to have a conversation and not end up with a stiff neck at the end of the night.

"I sleep in jeans." She chuckles ogling him one more time. The vest does look good on him, and so does the black tie along with the green pocket square. "Does kids-clothes-designer-Gwen approve of this look?"

Their minds travels back to their night at Frederic's, the New York bar, making both of them sigh. "She does." 

"You really are a designer then?" 

"I like kids and fashion so I figured I tried it out, and it turns out I'm good at it. I've been doing it for more that five years now." 

"Well, I'm a kid most of the time so I'll just call you next time I have to attend one of these fancy events." 

"Don't you have people that choose clothes for you?" 

"Yeah, I mean, of course. If it were for me I would have attended the Grammy's in camo."  He laughs making Gwen roll her eyes but also tilt her head back to join him in a laughing contest. 

"You really are a cowboy, huh?" He nods enthusiastically before reaching out for his chocolate shake on her hand. Their fingers brush and Blake presses his lips together, making his adorable dimples come out while Gwen just fully stares at him. He takes a sip using the same straw Gwen had been using and then hands it back to her, the dimpled smile still playing on his face. 

"I wear boots and jeans all the time, and I do have a ranch."

"That makes you a cowboy."

"Alright then, I guess I really am a cowboy." He agrees beaming at her. 

 

Their conversation is fluid and just so easy going. They talk about everything and nothing. Music and movies, favourite dishes and sports. 

"So what have you been doing since New York?" Gwen asks hugging herself. 

Blake notices, "Are you cold?" She's still wearing his blazer and he does not have anything else to out on her that is not his button down. 

"No, no I'm good. I just really like your blazer, it's soft." 

He chuckles at that, "If you get cold, let me know." She nods, "and I uhm... Since my tour ended in November, I've been at my mum's in Oklahoma. It was good to go back home but I got so tired of her being on me 24/7, it brought back so many kid memories." 

"She's your mum, you'll always be her baby." Comments like this one make him realise that she's a mother. She hasn't said a thing about her kids yet, but it's pretty clear that she is a great mum. At least, he likes to think and imagine that she's the greatest mum, next to his own, of course. 

"Oh, I know, and I love her. I stayed with her through all the holidays and that's probably the longest we've been together since I left for Nashville in 1994."

  
  


When Gwen leans down, her back on the sand, his eyes follow her every move. He leans back putting his hands flat on the sand so that it's easier for him to look at her. The moonlight is doing wonders to her, making her eyes shine in the dark and her skin glow. Her hair is starting to let loose and he just loves it. He can figure out that she loves to get dolled up and the fact that she's letting herself go has him in awe. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, when her head touches the sand, and opens them again shortly after finding his Caribbean sea eyes on her. His eyes scream all kinds of wonderful words at her and she can't help but blush a little bit. 

"I never really realized how pretty the stars are. Living in LA, it's difficult to find a dark spot to be able to just look up and see all the shiny dots on the sky." He keeps his gaze on her. He doesn't need to tear his eyes away from her because he knows exactly how the stars are hanging on the dark sky, he's had long nights outside his porch in Oklahoma just staring out a the firmament. But her? He can't stop looking at her. She's like a whole new sky he just can't help but stare at. His mind flies back to when he was 8 years old, and in science class his teacher started talking about astrology. He remembers he had built himself a telescope out of  rolls of toilet paper, when his mother had told him a real telescope was too expensive. He remembers looking out at the sky and the stars and then checking his science book that had all the constellations and facts on the stars and the planets on it. Looking at Gwen was a similar experience. His eyes are like a telescope looking at her, examining her every beautiful feature as if she were the sky. Her eyes shine like diamonds in the darkest night and her smile lights up his world like the moon on the darkest night.

"Blake?" Gwen cuts his internal monologue off when her sweet voice echoes inside his head and it honestly feels like music to his ears. He wants to say he is sorry, but in all honesty, he really ain't. 

"Hmh?" 

"You're going to catch flies." Just then he realizes his mouth is slightly open. He immediately looks down, hiding the silly I-have-a-crush smile and a little blush as he mumbles  _ sorry.  _

 

To hide his embarrassment and blush, he decides to lay down beside her as silence takes over them for a few minutes. "When I was little I spent a whole night counting the stars I could see." His soft country drawl makes a soft smile draw on her face as she turns her head to look at him. He has an hand behind his head and another on his broad chest, which looks like the comfiest pillow. Her eyes travel to his face; his stubbly cheeks look so good on him, Gwen can't help but water her lips. He's a handsome guy, no doubt about it, and it looks like he doesn't even try. He wore jeans at music's most important night, that's as not caring as it can get. And normally she would make some side comment about it, because fashion is something she likes and respects but he just makes a pair of jeans, boots and a vest look so good. 

"Now  _ you're  _ going to catch flies." She doesn't even realize he's looking at her until he speaks. Her eyes meet his and he's not very close but not too far either. He's at the perfect distance to just lean in a little bit and touch her nose to his and if she dared to lean down she could kiss his lips again. And she wants to do that again, so bad. She remembers kissing him in New York. Well she barely did that. She just brushed her lips to his as he stood there not knowing what to do with himself. Sometimes she still can't believe how she had the courage to do that. 

  
  


They don't even know how it happens but one moment they're laughing at some silly joke and next Blake's calling out for her but getting no answer back. He props himself up on one shoulder to find her eyes closed and a very relaxed look on her face. She's fallen asleep. He checks his phone to see it's 3am. Time really does stop when he's around her. He doesn't fight the yawn that escapes his mouth as he moves a little closer to her, not touching her but still close enough. 

 

He's awoken by someone calling him  _ Sir _ and a few pats on his shoulder. The sun is out and he can hear a dog somewhere near him. His back hurts and so does his neck. He slowly opens his eyes to find a young officer dressed in a dark blue police uniform. He blinks twice before he lets his eyes adjust to the bright light. He's near the sea? Wait and there's someone hugging him. He shakes his head. 

"Excuse me, Sir?" 

"Yeah?" Blake lifts his head a little bit to fully be able to look at the man that's calling for him. 

"You can't sleep on the beach." 

The beach? That would explain the smell and the sound of waves. His eyes fully adjust to the light then and he's able to see more clearly where he's at. 

"Right, right. Sorry." He can't get up because the person, he has by now figured out is Gwen, is holding onto him so tight. 

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Sure. Just let me..." He points at the sleeping woman nearly on top of him. 

"Of course." The young police man says before excusing himself. 

Blake lets his head rest against the sand again as he runs a hand on his face and through his curls. Gwen's head is on his shoulder, he can feel her blonde hair tickling his neck making a giggle escape his lips. He doesn't know how they’ve ended up cuddling but one of her hands in on his chest and his arm is being used as a pillow as it wraps around her shoulders. 

"Gwen." His soft voice against her forehead doesn't wake her up so he tries again, this time brushing his hand on her covered arm. Nada. "Gwen, you have to wake up." He says again, his free hand touching hers on his chest and then traveling up to her cheek, moving a few strands of hair aside to softly caress her skin. It's so soft he never wants to stop touching her. That soft gesture makes her stir and she cuddles even more to him. "Gwen." He tries again, his thumb running over her cheek ever, so gently. She panics standing up in one quick move but loses her balance and falls on the sand again making Blake chuckle loudly at the scene, but also at the confused look on her face. "It's just me. We fell asleep on the beach." He explains as he watches her open her eyes, slowly adjusting to the light. 

"Blake?" She asks when she finally lets her eyes meet his. 

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." Gwen smiles but shakes her head at him. 

"I bet I look anything but beautiful right now." Now it's his time to shake his head and he crawls up to where she fell down. 

"You look so gorgeous." His voice lowers as he moves closer to her. His words make her blush fast, so the only way she finds to cover her face is hiding behind her hands. "Don't hide away." His right hand comes up to touch her hands and he slowly pulls them off her face, to be able to look at her in the eyes. It’s true, her eye makeup is a little off and her hair is almost all down but that doesn't stop him from believing, and knowing for a fact, that she is a gorgeous woman. Head to toe. He takes both of her hands in his bringing them up to place a soft kiss on one palm and then the other. That catches Gwen completely off guard. She feels her body burn up all the way up to her cheeks and a beautiful smile appear on her face when he feels him press an extra kiss on her wrist when he realizes the effect he has on her. 

"So, I did promise desert didn't I?" He breaks the silence but not their linked hands. "Three, two, one! Up!" He exclaims pulling at her and her pulling at him. They stumble on the sand and Blake lets go of one hand to rest it on her upper back to keep her up. Her hand lands on his chest as she lets her head also collide with his torso laughing against his vest and loosened tie. "I told you I was a kid most of the time, kids stumble." That only increases her laugh as she moves the hand on his chest around his torso, her head fully resting on his chest. She sighs and he breathes in. This is a whole new level of touching. They can't get any closer than this, right now. His body is touching her and she's leaning all of her on him. She takes a deep breath, taking his essence in. After all the time outside, the smell of his cologne still lingers on him and Gwen can’t help but hug him tighter. Blake doesn’t utter a word. His hands stay on her upper back as he rubs circles there, just enjoying the moment with her by his side. He figures, that from the afar, they may look like a couple standing by the sea shore. A picture anyone would have hanged on the wall at their place. 

 

Gwen closes her eyes as she hears Blake's heart beat on his chest. She believes it's beating a little too fast than usual and she wonders if it has anything to do with her. God, she certainly hopes so.

"What time is it?" She asks separating herself from him. Her hand doesn't leave his chest and his stays on her upper back.

Blake reaches for his phone and unlocks it finding a few messages, but ignoring them of the person sending them, "just a little after 7am." His morning voice is sweet and soft.

"Do you, uhm... have to fly back to Nashville?" His eyes open wide realising that he indeed had planned to leave around 9am, but the look on her face is screaming  _ please don't go just yet  _ and he can't help but beam down at her. 

"I don't have a plane ticket or anything. I can leave whenever I want." She shakes her head and frowns, "I rent a plane from time to time."

Her eyes grow wide, "You're a fancy cowboy." She chuckles hitting his chest softly.

"Nah, I just don't fit in normal plane seats, sometimes not even in first class. So, since I'm not doing so bad financially and I don't really have anything or anyone to spend my money on I thought I could just fly comfortable. Not that I fly much, but when I do I want to be able to sit properly and just enjoy a quiet ride."

"Fair enough." She says nothing about his comment of not having anyone to spend his money on, but it shatters her heart a little. He smiles, laughs and tells jokes all the time but she realizes what a number his ex-wife did on his when Gwen's mind goes back to a few hours before at the outside of the bathroom.

  
  


When they get to the airport Gwen stops the engine with one hand and grips the wheel with the other. She turns to look at him and he does the same. "We're here." She says, watching him take a deep breath and reaching out to open the door. He can sense her do the same so he stops her. He jumps off the car, "hold on," he says running to the driver's side. He takes a few seconds to look at her looking at him through the window. She looks confused but when he opens the door and offers her his hand a grin appears on her face. He helps her out of the car and then watches her lean against the black vehicle as she looks at him from toe to head. He blushes a little bit when he realizes he's ogling him. 

She frowns as she studies his face. His not giving away much but soon enough he twitches his cheeks up and chuckles, flashing his dimples at her. "I just..." he runs a hand through his pepper curls and looks outside the window for a moment. "I want to rewind."

"Rewind what?" She's a little lost.

"Last night. Put the moon back up on the sky and watch you perform aside that guy who I am a little jealous of." She opens her mouth to speak but he cuts her off, "I want to walk back on that stage and sing  _ Sure Be Cool If You Did _ once more, and get to give my Grammy speech again. I would like to go back to when we met on the hall and stop Luke from interrupting us." She lets out a little laugh, "Imma give him a hard time for that." He adds, her head leaning back as she chuckles at his joke. "What? He broke our moment, you know?!" His charming voice and dimples make her take every inch of his face in, he's so naturally handsome and just so real that she can't help but fall a little bit for him. "I want to go back to when we started naming the stars, and then stop you from falling asleep so we could maybe wet our feet on the shore and run back immediately because the water was freezing. I would go back and steal more mayonnaise to have enough for all our fries, but most of all I would just like to go back and..." he wants to say and _ kiss you when I had the chance _ , but he's afraid to scare her away. She nods at him encouraging him to continue his speech but he shakes his head nervously. "I just... I like being around you, Gwen."

“You want to do all of that again?” She just wants to make sure she’s not dreaming. 

“Well, that’s technically impossible, but…” Her eyes are looking up at him screaming at him to continue speaking, she’s eager to listen to what he has to say and she, also, wants to make this moment with him last as long as possible before he has to leave. She’s not sure she’s ready to say goodbye just yet. 

“But…” She encourages him to continue.

“But, we can get lost in some other city, soon. If you’re up to.” The smile that draws on her face tells him the answer to his question. Of course she’s up for it. “Look, I have a concert in Oklahoma City next saturday, I’m raising money for cancer and specially kids with that suffer from it, would you like to come?”

She thinks fast. Her ex-husband is taking her kids for the weekend so she really has nothing better to do than to sit around her house and maybe call Bee and have a girls night out.  

"I'd love to, Blake." 

"Really?" He sounds so surprised. He really wasn't expecting her to says yes. The number of times Miranda had told him no, and here is Gwen agreeing to fly out to see him at a concert.  _ Wow _ . 

"Yeah really!" She giggles and then lets out a laugh when he sees him pinch himself. "What are you doing?" Her eyes travel from his arm and back to his smiling blue eyes.

"I thought I was dreaming, but apparently I am not. Auch." He says rubbing circles on his arms. She doesn't know what makes her do the following, but she takes half a step into him to get on her tiptoes and leave a soft kiss on his stubbly cheek. She lingers there for a few seconds and then slowly moves back. Now it's his turn to let out a little giggle. 

_ He just giggled _ . 

God he's in trouble. His hand comes all the way up to his cheek to trace the spot that had just been kissed by her. He needs to get a grip and stop acting like a teenager. "Okay so I am dreaming." She throws her head back laughing like there's no tomorrow. He really is something else. He laughs along but mostly looks down at her as she laughs, he even sees a tear escape her eyes. He really can't stop staring at her. She inspires him, she mesmerizes him to a whole new level and he really want to kiss her. He figures it his time to do so since she had brushed her lips against his in New York. He just hopes she welcomes what he's about to do. 

Her head is still back when she feels a hand on her neck that causes her laugh die and bring her head back up in surprise. Blake's thumb brushes her ear and then her cheek as he moves closer to her. His head leans down and his eyes only have eyes for hers, but in the contrary, hers drop down to his lips but rapidly back up to meet his Caribbean sea eyes. She could get lost in them. When their noses brush she lets her eyes close for a moment, "Gwen." That makes her open them again, immediately. She's just loves when he says her name with that country drawl she would recognize anywhere. She understand he's asking for permission and  _ who does that?  _ Well apparently king of country does. When his lips finally find hers she can't move. She feels a blush creep over her and one of her hands come up to a side of his face to feel the stubble on his cheek. God she loves this sensation. For a few seconds they just let their lips press against each other until Blake leans back just a few millimeters, their lips still brushing, and he realizes both his hands are now framing her face. He opens his eyes to find Gwen's already on his. Their cheeks twitch up at the same time as he leans in again, now to press his lips to hers with a little more force. Kissing her beaming lips makes his hearts jump and her knees buckle a little bit, which causes one of Blake's hands to have to leave her face and wrap around her back. Taking her lower lip between his has them smiling again and when he finally touches his tongue with hers fireworks go off around them. He never wants to stop kissing her if this is what he's going to feel every time. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Step by Step

 

She got the first line seat in first class to get out as soon as it was possible, so when the plane lands, she gets her bag and purse and steps onto the finger after saying _thank you_ to the flight attendant that had brought her coffee as soon as she had taken a seat at LAX. Of course the young woman had recognized her, but she had made no comment about it, which Gwen was thankful for. She had taken the 7am flight to draw as less attention as possible, and it had worked. Blake had told here there would be someone holding a GS paper right at the arrivals so when Gwen arrives at the area, she looks around to find a young woman leaning against a column.

The blonde star greets her and lets out a chuckle when the younger woman looks up at her and then down at her sign, only to look up again.

"Yeah, it is right. It's me you have to pick up." The young woman wows and smiles at Gwen before reaching out to grab the singer's bag but Gwen tells her she can do it herself.

Gwen follows Gabrielle, the young woman, through the terminal and then to a golf car that takes them to the heliport in the same airport.

"Blake's never done this before, if that's what you're frowning at." She explains with a grin playing on her face.

"How long have to uhm... worked for him?"

"Three years next month." She replies proudly. Gwen studies the girl as she talks to the pilot. She cannot be older than 26 and her juvenile laugh only confirms that. The woman turns back to sit next to Gwen. "He's a brilliant guy, but I guess you already know that." Gwen nods.

"I don't know him that much, really." Gwen purses her lips and lowers her head. They don't know each other much but at the same time she feels like she's been friends with Blake forever.

"If he had had time he would have loved to come pick you up himself but he arranged a hospital visit and a mini concert three months ago and, of course, he couldn't cancel."

"He hasn't told anyone?" She really can't believe it but now that she thinks about it she hasn't told anyone either.

"Nope. He only told me there was someone to be picked up at the airport and, uhm... obviously I recognized you as-, well Gwen Stefani. So, he hasn't told anyone that you were coming or that he even knew you personally."

The No Doubt front woman presses her lips together and then turns her head to the window as the helicopter takes off.

Gabrielle, or Gabs, tells her they're going straight to the venue and that she will be able to leave the bags there, in Blake's dressing room. Blake had told her not to book any hotel room since the two night that the had spent together wandering the streets of LA and New York had been sleepless, and at the time she had laughed and agreed, but now that she thinks about it they might be the weirdest pair. It’s not like they can’t afford a place to sleep.

 

They enter the venue through the back door so it's not until Gabs takes her to the concert area that she realises that she's at a arena. She wonders how Blake is going to fill all the seats of this place. She takes her phone to google him once again and goes straight to the images to see full packed concert pictures. _Who the hell is he?_ She puts her phone back in her back pocket and takes one last look around.

"He sells out stadiums." Gabs' voice makes Gwen spin in her feet.

"I figured he was a big deal when he won the Grammy but I never..."

"Imagined this?" Gwen nods, "You don't know much about country, huh?" The smile on the young woman's face makes Gwen blush a little bit and chuckle as she shakes her head in embarrassment. "Well, uhm... name me some artist you really like?"

"Ada-, well Maroon 5."

"Right, so I assume Maroon 5 sells out arenas, right?" Gwen nods. "Blake does too, like, every concert. His tour, last fall? Sold out, each one of them." Gabs explains calmly as Gwen's jaw drops on the floor. She really had no idea Blake was this big, he's so chill and so laid back that she would have never imagined he was actually this big of a star. "There's this one song he plays and he makes people hold up their phones. So the place gets lit up with small lights and even now, it still shocks me how many people come out to his concerts. He puts on a hell of a show, as well."

"What's the name of the song?" Gwen asks.

"Home."

 

She decides to just hang around with Gabrielle, since she's the only person she knows. A security guy tells them they can sit wherever they want but the stage since technicians are still building it and the band is getting ready for soundcheck. The band guys haven’t noticed her presence yet and she’s happy about that because she intends to keep this as quiet as possible.

Blake is nowhere to be found and she's getting a little anxious. Gabs excuses herself for a moment, and as Gwen watches the young woman walk away her phone buzzes on her pocket.

_That green jacket looks really good on you._

It's him. Gwen's eyes immediately look up to see exactly the same as before, the band playing some instrumental song, testing the microphones and sound system.

She's about to type back when she gets another text.

_I've missed you._

She bites down her lower lip and then re-reads the text far too many times. She feels her heart jump on her chest and electricity run inside her veins. When she finally looks up she sees Blake come from one side of the stage. His eyes are fixed on hers as he walks through the stage until some guy with a bass hanging off his body stops him. Blake presses his lips together and lowers his eyes pouting silently. He really needs to get to her, and fast.

He tries to really concentrate on what, Rob, his band leader is telling him but his eyes go up to find Gwen's a few times. It amazes her, how he can say _I miss you_ so openly. How can he miss her if they have only known each other for a few hours?

It's crazy. But here they are.

His phone buzzes on his palm and Blake, ignoring the man in front of him, takes his phone up to see Gwen's name on the screen.

"Dude."

Blake jumps on his feet and lowers his head as an apology but really just wanting to read Gwen's message again.

_Missed you too._

When he looks back up at his friend, Blake knows he has the silliest smile on his face and as hard as he tries to hide it, it just won't go away.

"So okay, before _Gonna_ and after _Home,_ " Blake repeats what his band leader just told him to prove to the man he was listening all along. "We're going to give the check to the hospital. Okay that's fine by me."

Gwen can't hear a thing from where she's sitting but Blake looks happy. He's wearing a orange and red plaid shirt, his signature cowboy boots and jeans and a snapback that makes him look so adorable and bring out his dimples even more. The cap hides his curls, but the few that escape from under the hat look disheveled and so very appealing to touch and run her hand over. The stubble that covers his adorable face is longer than usual and Gwen can't help but bite down her lip again just thinking about placing a hand on his cheek and let her fingertips caress his facial hair. She has never been a facial hair on guys kinda girl but Blake just makes it look so sexy.

The country star finally excuses himself and finalizes what he had started by walking up to Gwen. When his eyes meet hers, he tilts his head to a tunnel that leads to the floor entrance and Gwen gets up from her seat to jump over the bar that separates the stands from the floor section and then walks, before him, to the tunnel. She walks backwards as he watches him start to take bigger steps, trying to get to her faster. Gwen presses her lips together and takes bigger steps as well, challenging him with a playful smile on her lips. He laughs, shaking his head and then brings a hand up to the nape of his neck. She finally stops walking, reaching the end of the tunnel and watches him do the same; he holds her gaze as if he were holding her in his arms and then opens his mouth to speak.

"You're really here." He breathes out, letting the hand on the nape of his head trace a path to his neck and onto his collar bone to finally let it fall on his sides. Then, he takes one small step closer to her.

"I don't think I'm an hologram so, I guess I am here." Blake’s head falls down as he lets out a little laugh but immediately looks back up when, from the corner of his eyes, sees her take a step closer to him. A few metres still separate them and it's makes them, both, nervous and so eager to just walk closer and touch each other in some way.

"How was your flight?"

One step.

"Early." She yawns making his dimples pop out on his face.

Another step.

"How was your week?" She asks. She already knows the answer because they have been texting back and forth but their shyness is keeping them from asking anything more personal. Not because they're not open to each other, but because being in each other's presence and remembering what happened the last time they saw each other makes butterflies fly on their stomachs. This choreographed dance of taking one step at a time is being played slow and flirty, a smile here and a head down there, the feeling of some electric vibration running through his veins and butterflies dance in her stomach. Both can't remember the last time they felt like this. 

"Long."

And yet another step closer. He wets his lips when he realizes that there's just one last step separating them. Gwen fidgets and blushes when his starring becomes overwhelming. She looks down and then back to his eyes, taking in the blue of them. She takes one last step holding her hand down so it doesn't come rushing up to touch him. Blake doesn't shy away, as his hand travels up to cup her cheek and let a thumb run over her soft skin. Gwen lets her head rest gently on his palm as she closes her eyes at the contact.

"How-," his index finger on her lips quiets her down making the No Doubt front woman smile against his finger and even leave a light kiss to it.

He leans down and Gwen's waiting for him to take the finger on her lips off, but he doesn't and ends up brushing his lips against the smooth skin of her cheek. Even though she was kind of waiting for another kind of kiss, the sweet and soft way his lips press on her cheek make the brightest smile appear on her face as she closes her eyes for a few seconds, just enjoying the sensation of being closer to him again. When he pulls away and meets Gwen’s eyes, the matching grins on their faces speak for themselves; that’s all Blake needs to know to leans down again, this time pressing his lips to hers.

For a moment he just lets their lips touch and then presses a little bit more, which causes Gwen to bring her hands around his waist. He loves how much she seems to like holding onto him, he doesn’t think he has ever felt so secure in someone’s arms before, aside from his mother’s. When he takes her lower lip between his a smile forms on Gwen’s face and that’s probably when he likes the most; kissing her slightly open mouth, feeling her let out a little chuckle as her upper lip touches his again and now it’s his time to smile against her mouth as his hand makes its way to her blonde hair, which is down and beautiful, today. His hands frame her face as if it were the most precious piece of art, and when they pull away, Gwen lets her nose against his regaining her breath.

When her eyes meet his silence takes over for a few seconds in which Gwen takes her time to study him. He looks ecstatic. The dimples on his face only accentuate the happiness that his eyes transmit and she just hopes he can feel the same from her eyes.

 

He orders Italian from a place down the road and they have a quiet lunch, just the two of them, in his dressing room. The place looks surprisingly comfy and not as country as she had imagined. There were no animal heads hanging in the walk, she thanked god for that. She listens to him talk about the hospital visit and how much it had broken his heart to see kids with cancer but the fact that he had made them happy for a little while made him feel somewhat complete. She has his complete attention when she talks and talks about her kids. At one point she apologizes for being annoying but he only encourages her to carry on saying that he would like to know all the adventures she has lived with them. He learns that there's three of them. Three boys. Nine, eight and barely two. She flashes pictures of them at him and he can see something about her in each one but the middle one, Zuma, is the one that looks almost like a mini Gwen.

Around 5pm he gets called for sound checking and he invites Gwen over. She hears his band whispering when Blake and her walk to the centre of the stage, side by side. She studies him as he gets ready and hangs the guitar off of his body and finally turing his cap to a snapback that accentuates his dimples and adorable face even more.

"Okay guys," Blake says turning around to face his band to find them already looking at him with questioning looks. "What's going on?" He asks confused by the staring and commenting fused looks of his buddies. He shakes his head and finally catches what's going on, "oh, oops." Gwen giggles and then chuckles shaking her head as he looks at his adorable fidgeting, "this is Gwen."

"Riiiight, we didn't know." A girl holding a violin says ironically. Blake's dimples carve on his face when he turns to look at Gwen for a second to see that she's slighting red.

"Gwen, this is the band." Blake calls out each name and Gwen nods and greets each one of them. She can see that Blake's friends have a lot of questions but she's glad they don't ask any. They seem to have a big respect for him.

She stands as close as she possibly can as he sounds checks. He plays a lot of songs and his eyes always find hers a few meters on the right when he sings, even if he plays a heartbreak song. She recognizes some of the songs since she had been playing his music non stop since he had left LA, and she hadn't told him yet but he was making a country fan out of her. At least a fan of his, that was for sure. His voice was so strong but soft at the same time, just as his personality. One minute he could be a tough can't walk pass me cowboy and the next second change to the softest teddy bear. She liked both Blake's as much. Strong and steady Blake made her feel safe and protected and soft and gentle Blake made her feel treasured.

“You know my songs?” He ask making Gwen startle when his voice echoes in the empty arena.

“Some of them.” She says proudly and shy at the same time. She’s mesmerized by his half surprised half excited five year old on a sugar rush reaction.

“I’m sure you’ll know the next one.” Blake says as Rob, the band leader, starts playing a melody she immediately recognizes.

__________________________________

Standing in front of thousands of people has never made Blake nervous, all the contrary, he was always ecstatic and ready to jump on stage, but there was something about today.

As the band starts to play _Sure Be Cool If You Did,_ he looks down for a second to look at Gwen. She’s standing right at the left of the stage, her VIP pass hanging off her neck and his cap on her head. The jacket she was wearing before long forgotten on his room, letting a white v-neck shirt shine in the darkness of the arena. She has a green plaid wrapped around her hips, which she keeps swinging making him look down at her more than once through any song. She’s alone, but she doesn't look bored at all. He sees her take pictures or videos from time to time, and even though he doesn’t like to watch himself back he will for sure ask to see the videos.

__________________________________

He doesn't know why but when _Sure Be Cool If You Did_  is over he tells Rob to give him a minute and then runs down the left stairs to her. There's a curtain that keeps the audience from seeing Gwen so when Blake finally gets to her, he's not shy to open kiss her mouthed. She gasps as her hands come up and around his neck, playing with the little curls at the nape of his neck. He feels her knees give in a little bit so he wraps one hand around her waist and lifts her up a little bit taking Gwen by surprise, which causes her to grin against his demanding, yet very soft and kissable lips. He sets her down and pecks her mouth one last time before pulling away for both of them to catch their breaths.

"What was that for?" She asks letting her hand fall against his broad chest. Grinning like a teenager with her first crush, Gwen let's her eyes travel all the way to his baby blues to find him biting his lower lip. That makes her stand on her toes to brush her lips against his for a brief moment. When she pulls back, his eyes remain closed as a blissful dimpled grin appears on his face.

"Let's make Nashville another city that never sleeps." He breathes out as he stares down at her in awe. Her brown eyes shine brighter than all the telephone lights during his country rendition to _Home_ put together, which reminds him that he has to step on stage again before the crowd goes wild calling for him.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the One Step. Another. scene is very movie written but you can't take the cinema student out of me oops :P


	8. City that sleeps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So happy you guys are enjoying this!  
> So this is loosely based on One Direction's Perfect.

  
He reaches inside his dark blue jacket and takes a single key. He brings it up to show it to her while he grins like a kid on christmas day. He nervously struggles to put the key inside the lock, not taking his eyes from her and Gwen can't help but chuckle at the scene.  
"Blake," she lets out a little laugh when he still won't open the door, "You..." She can't speak as he continues to look down at her in awe the key tapping on the door while his freehand searches for the lock.  
"I used to be good at this, dammit." He chuckles at how stupid he's being but seriously, he can't stop looking at her. When the concert had finished she had stayed behind while he spoke with the hospital people and even took a few pictures with the cancer patients that had been able to attend the concert. He had had to talk to the mayor and make friends with the other heads of the city hall as he kept on checking the clock hanging on the wall, watching the minutes go by slowly and thinking about Gwen alone in his changing room.  
"What do you mean you were good at this?" She pushes, wetting her lower lip and then biting down on it.  
Blake coughs nervously and bring his hands down to his sides, "Well- you know how women can do two or more things at the same time?" She nods, "well sometimes I can do that as well. I master at carrying a pack of beers in one hand and getting the damn key inside the lock with the other." The blonde star throws her head back laughing, "what?"  
"Just... _you_." She says bringing her yes back to his.  
"What about me?" His lower lip trembles a little bit and his lower tone makes her reach up to put a hand on his neck to calm him down. She hates how insecure of himself he can be.  
"You're amazing, Blake." She watches a small but happy grin draw on his face as the dimples pop out on his stubble cheeks. "You-," he lowers down to peck her lips a loud pop coming out when their lips separate again and he really just wants to kiss her all night long, until the morning comes.  
" _You_ are amazing." He breathes out on her mouth, feeling her lips part as a smile appears on her face. Blake's eyes travel down to her mouth and he leans in to steal a kiss again from his beaming lips.  
"Don't go stealing my lines." She flirts, pulling away, putting a little bit of distance between them. Blake grins, running a hand through his curls.  
"You astonish, fascinate, intrigue, enchant," her growing blush makes him carry on as Gwen lets her head fall against his chest. His arms immediately come around her as he drops a kiss on his cap on her head. "Hypnotize, mesmerize me."  
She doesn't say anything for a few seconds and Blake is about to call out for her, thinking maybe he says more than she was ready for, "really?" The tremble on her voice makes Blake lean back a little bit and then put one hand under her chin to lift his head up.  
"Yes, Gwen. Really."

 

  
Once they're inside, he goes to the meter box to turn on a light that barely illuminates the whole room. With that low lighting Gwen can appreciate how big the room is.  
"Are you sure we can be here?" She asks looking around.  
"Well, the place is mine, so I guess we can."  
"This is yours?" He nods walking up to her. "What is it exactly?"  
"In two years or so it will be Nashville's best musical bar."  
"Another bar?"  
"Yep. We're selling the other one though. A few months ago I got this call saying that Warner Nashville was interested in a new bar and they wanted me to get involved and name it after one of my songs so I said yes and here we are."  
"Wow. And what will be the name?"  
"I have this song from million years ago," she chuckles, "called Ol'Red. And it's crazy how they have designed the bar all red and black and it just looks so good on paper."  
He takes Gwen around the area and explains what every wall will have on, where the toilets will be and even makes her picture on her head where the stage will be placed at. There is a stool on where Blake says the stage will be and a guitar on a stand next to it. "I was here a few days ago and I left my guitar for the next time I came. It's quiet and calm here at night." He speaks walking towards the guitar. Gwen watches him wander to the instrument as she follows him two steps behind. "I sat on that stool and wrote a song, actually."  
"You did?"  
"Yeah. I wrote it on my phone since I didn't have any paper."  
"I wanna hear it." Her excitement makes Blake chuckle.  
"I uhm... It's not finished and uh-"  
"Please?" She pushes a little bit. "I mean, it's fine if you're not ready or-"  
"No, I am. I'm just... I don't normally write songs, I'm not good at it."  
"What do you mean, you're not good at it?"  
"I just never really wrote. I tried, but I always got songs that were better than mine so I recorded those and kept mine to myself."  
"That... Blake, that's just cruel. You're an artist and as one you should be able to sing about what you feel."  
"I know..." He says lowering his head. “The record company just didn’t really like them, I guess.”  
"Will you play the song for me?” She asks again, sitting on the floor in front of him. She hugs her knees to her chest and waits for him to start, but he doesn’t move. He bobs his head and then looks at the darkish room in front of him, he takes a breath and pick up the instrument from the guitar stand. Gwen draws a soft smile on her face as he sits back on the stool and looks down to look at her. “I’m ready.”  
“Okay, here we go.”

 _Girl getting over him and I'm getting over her_  
_The eyes have it made, ain't gotta say a word_  
_Misery loves company, that's why it's you and me_  
_Buying each other drinks, back at the bar, thick as thieves_  
_Stealing these little sips_  
_Doing our best to make the best of the worst of_ it

He keeps his eyes on hers and it’s probably one of the hardest things he has ever done because eye contact had never been something he found easy to do. And even though he always gets drawn into her chocolate eyes, singing to her and about her is hard but he likes it. His smile only grows on his face as the words come out of his mouth and his fingers move on the guitar strings creating a soft melody. Gwen on the other side can’t believe the song he wrote is about her. Her breath catches on her throat as her mouth grows wide and then breaks into a beautiful smile when he starts the chorus.

_Keep playing them songs, keep singing along_  
_Keep leaning it on in closer_  
_Keep salting the rim, getting even with her_  
_And with him before the night is over_  
_That first kiss was like a Colorado hit_  
_You better keep on keeping it lit_  
_'Til we can't remember_  
_Can't remember what we came here to forget_

When the song comes to an end Blake looks down at his guitar as the music dies and then shyly looks at her, still sitting on the floor.  
“You… you wrote me a song?” She’s overwhelmed and her hands tremble on her lap not only because of the meaning of the lyrics but also because the look on his face tell her that everything he said is what he feels.

_Looks like it's just me and you_  
_Falling in love just enough to get us through_

This particular lines stuck on her head for a few seconds after he asks him the question. How can he be falling for her? They’ve just met. She stands up then and spins on her feet. Blake watches her do as her lowers his head again thinking about how wrong it had been for him to play that particular song.  
“I’m sorry.” He doesn’t even know what he’s saying sorry for but he feels like those are the right words to say out loud to break the ice. She doesn’t reply, but she puts her hands on her hips and takes a few steps, walking away from him. “Gwen-,”  
“We just met, Blake.” Her voice sounds distant and scared which makes Blake immediately get up from the stool to put the guitar on its place and take a few steps towards her.  
“I know that.”  
“We can’t be falling in love, it doesn't work like that.” She still won’t turn to look at him and it’s slowly killing him. Her words shatter his heart in a million pieces which causes him to instinctively take one step back, to get somehow away from her.  
"Is there a manual on how fast to fall for someone that I haven't read?" A sarcastic chuckle escapes his mouth before he has time to stop it. Dammit. "Sorry, I make jokes when I'm nervous." His palms are cold and sweaty at his sides and his smile has banished from his stubbly face. He takes a deep breath and slowly walk up to her, until he's looking down at her. Her eyes are glued to the floor and Blake wonders if she just doesn't want to look at him or she's hiding away her tears. "Can you look at me?" He tries to get her attention but gets no response back. She still won't look up. "You can't." How it's his time to look down at the rejection. He spins on his feet and walks away to the closest column to let his body fall on it in exhaustion.  
The silence that takes over the room matches the dim light of the place. "Listen," he tries again, "I'm sorry. I thought this," he looks up and waits for Gwen to do the same. He has no hopes for it but when her eyes meet his Blake can see they're a little red, "I thought this was going somewhere, I'm such a fool." Her head shoots up at his words but Gwen find him looking down at his feet. She opens her mouth to say something but his scared shaky voice continues talking, "I knew-, I said to myself _it's too soon, Blake_. Too soon. But you just made me and everything make sense again. I know it's fast, I know that. Hell I've only known you for, what? full day, if we count all the hours we've spent together?" That makes Gwen let out a little laugh. Blake immediately looks up to find a soft beam on her face. He takes a few steps towards her until he's only half a metre away. "You know how in movies two people meet and there's music playing as the camera makes circles around them as they walk towards each other?" She presses her lips together and nods, "That's what I pictured when I met you." Gwen takes a deep breath and takes one last step closer to him. She thinks about touching him but she doesn't so she decides to keep her hands to her sides.  
"That song was so good." Her soft voice makes Blake draw a smile on his face and lean in a little bit. "Whoever told you, you couldn't write was out of their mind." The country singer chuckles and then nods, putting his hands on his jacket pockets.  
"We can take it slower, okay? No pressure. The last thing I want to is for you to run away from me." Gwen shakes her head and finally reaches up to touch him.  
"What scares me the most is that I am."  
"You're what?"  
"Falling for you."  
Blake bats his eyes a few time and shakes his head, "what's the problem then?" He should be very happy about this but Gwen's serious and the insecure look on her face makes his insecurities creep out.  
"That this-, it's so fast, Blake. It's new, it's different and difficult. It's unplanned and it just... we're recently divorced. What if we miss being with someone so much that we just need that, to feel needed?" He opens his mouth to reply but she speaks again before he has time to tell her that he'd never, ever use her like that. "We've been with the same people for so long we're just now learning to be by our selves."  
"Gwen..."  
"No, please let me finish." He nods, "There's so many ways this could go wrong."  
He can't keep quiet anymore, "And so many ways it could go right."  
"How can it go right when we live in different coasts? I have three kids, it's not like I can fly over whenever it pleases me, they're my priority."  
"I know they are."  
She takes a step back and turns her back on him, "it would never work." She says shaking her head and bring a hand up to cover her face. "It's fun, it's uncomplicated. We meet from time to time and make the most of a night together and that's all I can do, for now."  
“That’s okay.” He kind of forces himself to say those words because the truth is that he prefers fun and uncomplicated rather than a life without her in it. “But Gwen, when I kiss you, you kiss me back." He's not mad per se, maybe heartbroken. Okay he is heartbroken. He had clearly made his hopes up. Blake also spins on his feet and walk towards the stage where he left the guitar. They pace the room for awhile in silence. He had plans for tonight. He had arranged a private session of _A Sound Of Music_ and an old friend of his had promised he would have churros ready at 5am when he started the baking process at his french bakery. But it had all went out the window because he had had to play the damn song.  
She shakes her head, “Do you want me to not kiss you back?” confusion takes over her face as her gaze meets his.  
“No, I do.”  
“Okay, so what’s the problem?” She asks, her hands coming back to her hips.  
“If I ask you out on a date would you say yes?” She frowns, a hand reaching up to caress the back of her neck in confusion. They both stay quiet for a while until the country star speaks up again, “You wouldn’t.”  
“It’s just… it’s complicated. It’s not like we can just step out in the open and be normal.”  
“Why not?”  
“We’re celebrities, and recently divorced. Gossip sites love people like us trying to start a new life. They would make up so many things and I am not ready for that, and you probably aren’t either.”  
“I’m not that much of a celebrity but I get what you mean.”  
“We’ve avoided them until now but it’s about time that they find out.”  
“Do you trust me?” He asks taking the two steps separating them. He reaches up to touch her cheek and runs a thumb over her soft skin. Gwen stays quiet thinking that if she turned around now and Blake asked her to let herself fall trusting him to catch her, would she do it? Would she trust him like that, or wouldn’t she? "You don't trust me." It comes out as a whisper but the quietness of the space makes it reach Gwen's ears.  
"What did you say?" She ask, just to make sure she heard it right.  
"You don't trust me." He repeats, more confident this time. "That's the problem."  
"That's no-" she begins to say but Blake interjects as he steps away from her.  
"I don't blame you. I know you've been hurt and you probably hate all the guys on planet earth."  
"Not-" She tries to speak again but Blake puts his index finger on her lips softly.  
"I hate that he made you this insecure. I hate him so much." His low tone make the blonde ska turned pop singer relax a little bit. "I know that the timing is maybe not the best and the distance is hell but Gwen, _I like you_." His voice breaks at the last part and he almost feels like he’s knees are going to give in.  
"I can't do this, Blake. I can't jump into a relationship right now." She sniffs at the end and all he wants to do is wrap his arms around her and shield her from any pain. She starts walking and he really tries to go after her but her words have hit him hard, the rejection echoes inside his head glueing his feet to the ground. When he hears a door open and then close is when he realizes he better run after her. So he does. He finds her walking down the road and away from his truck.  
"Gwen!" He shouts but she won't stop. Blake starts to run and when he reaches her and makes her stop he has to bend down and put his hands on his knees to take a deep breath. "Where are you going?"  
She shakes her head looking at the ground. When Blake sees a tear drop to the floor he gently places his hands on the sides of her gorgeous face and lifts it up. His hands tremble a bit on her face when he sees her watery and red eyes. He catches a tear about to run down her cheek with his lips, as he lets them softly press against her soft skin.  
"The last thing I want is to make you cry." She feels his breath on her cheek as he speaks and it's making her both, nervous and secure. He lets his lips stay on her skin for a while until he feels her slowly turn his head. He stands still as he waits to figure out what’s going on. Next thing he knows her lips are touching his and he freezes. For a few seconds he doesn’t kiss her back and that’s maybe the hardest thing he’s ever done.  
“Don’t do it.” He breathes against her lips. “Only kiss me if you mean it.”  
So she pulls away, as much as it hurts her. Because she meant every kiss, each one of them. But Blake is asking for something she can't quite offer to him just yet. She tells him to drop her of at a hotel and even though he tries to convince her that he has enough rooms in his house she declines his offer. So he does as she asks, and with a cold  _Good night_ she jumps off the car an into the Hilton Hotel. 

 

 

When she enters the place she doesn't spot him at first but a few seconds later, when she's standing in the middle of the room she hears a door open and then close.  
"Blake." He jumps on his feet and brings a hand up to his chest. "Sorry." He really wants to greet her but one look at her and his cheeks twitch down. It hurts. He tears his baby blues away from her and walks up to the stage area where his guitar is waiting for him. He stands before the instrument sitting on the stand, his broad back facing her.  
"I came here after I dropped you off at the hotel and for a few minutes I just stared at the space but then I grabbed ahold of the guitar and started playing random chords." He says quietly. His index finger traces the headstock until he drops his hand on his side and spins around. "I just... I wanted to get all my heartbreak out but I can't. I can't write a heartbreak song about you, I can't because I understand your reasons, Gwen. I do." He's not looking at her, he can't. The No Doubt front woman stares and listens to him pour out his heart to her and waits for him to look up at her. He's avoiding her eyes and Gwen's breaking piece by piece; if there was something she adored about him was that he always looked at her in the eyes, always.  
"You should be mad at me."  
"Why?"  
"Because that's what people do." She spins on her feet and takes two steps away from him. Blake looks down and touches the back of his head with his hand. "You should be yelling, hitting some wall... just something, Blake."  
"Again, why?" The soft tone of his voice is so contradicting but it also explains why he's not mad, he's using that sweet tone because he understand her reasons.  
"Because-" she huffs thinking about what to say next. "You're like so perfect and I turned you down. Be mad at me, run away from me but don't just stand there not looking at me and rubbing your neck nervously."  
He looks up and meets her puffy eyes, "Why don't you want me?" He sounds so scared and his voice trembles. "I know I'm not some skinny rockstar, I don't know how to dress and I-"  
"Stop!" She yells making Blake bounce on his feet again. "You've got it all wrong." She replies taking one step in.  
"Enlighten me, cos I don't get it."  
"You're so amazing." She takes a deep breath and continues, "We don't really know each other, Blake. All we've done is have fun around towns and yeah we've told each other stuff but I know nothing about your everyday life. Do you have working hours? Do you have coffee and cereal when you wake up, or are you an eggs, bacon and orange juice kinda guy? Do you prefer the book or the movie? This kind of stuff. The normal stuff."  
"I'm a movie guy." It's barely a whisper because his head is down at his feet again but slowly he starts to lift it up. "On weekdays I'm a coffee and cereal kinda guy but I like my eggs and toast on the weekends. I take an hour to myself to drink coffee, read the newspaper and maybe even tweet a little." His eyes meet hers when his little speech comes to an end and that's when Gwen's cheeks twitch up. "I cry watching _The Lion King_." That makes Gwen chuckle and run a hand through her blonde hair. She stares at him, a beautiful smile on her face, that doesn't go away even when he walks closer to her. "I want you to trust me. I know it will take a little time, I understand that. Let me just prove that I'm different and that I won't hurt you."  
"Any other guy would have ran away by now." She whispers when his hands come up to cup her cheeks. He just can't stay away.  
"I'm not any other guy. I want to stay.” He stands up from the stool and sets the guitar on the floor, “I guess Nashville is a city that sleeps.”  
“I got zero sleep last night, though.” Gwen explains, “By the looks of it you didn’t close your eyes either.” Blake checks his phone to see that it’s barely 10am. His dimples pop out on his adorable manly face, “What?” She asks curiously.  
“You want to get to know me, right?” She nods, still not knowing what’s running inside his head, “Let me make you breakfast. It’s saturday so bacon and eggs for me and I’ll fix some veggies or whatever for you to go with the eggs.”  
“Okay.” A little blush creeps on her cheeks as a growing smile appears on her face.  
“If cities that never sleep is what we can do for now, I’m in. I just don’t want to live a life where you’re not in it.”


	9. Break my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for this chapter would we 'I woke up in Nashville' by Seth Ennis.

Everything she had expected she got it. His place was very Blake. It had guitars on their stand, framed albums, recognitions and even a few awards here and there. He had a wooden table with a few family pictures and of course he owned a dog! One thing that had made her bounce on her feet and hide her face in his broad and welcoming chest ,was the deer head in his study. Thankfully they were not going to spend time there.

To her surprise, Blake turns out to be a good cook and an expert and cautious coffee maker. He had arranged a meat free breakfast for her and even fried some bacon for him saying that he needed his dose of meat every morning. He invites her to wander around while he gets everything ready for their breakfast turned brunch, Gwen, however, sits on the kitchen island stool and watches him cook.

He always has a story ready to keep her occupied and laughing, and today is no different. Even after their head to head night and morning, they both agreed to just slowly move forward and see where the journey took them.  


 

Tray on his hands and coffee mugs on hers, Blake shows her outside to the garden, where she finds a pool, jacuzzi and a very country-like porch with a table and chairs. He puts the tray down on the wooden table, then takes her coffee mugs and finally pulls out the chair for her to sit. It's not the first time he's done something so chivalrous and Gwen's still taken aback by his gentlemanly antics.

"You don't need to pull out my chair or open every door I want through, you know?" She says when Blake sits down next to her, he looks up to meet her eyes and nods.

"Do you not want me to?" He asks, frowning.

"It's not that I don't want you to, but I can do it myself." She doesn't want to sound ungrateful but this is really something she's not used to.

"Okay." He lowers her head and reaches out for his coffee mug. The ceramic piece has a B on it and as he had commented before, his nephew had made it for him on father's day two years ago.

Silence takes over for a long minute as Blake reaches out for his bacon and eggs and takes another sip of his cappuccino. He doesn't look up to her until he feels Gwen's hand in his wrist, stopping him from picking up his mug again.

"Blake," her soft tone makes him freeze and move his hand away from the white cup of steamy coffee. He keeps his gaze down until Gwen squeezes his arm and he slowly looks up. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Just..." she sighs and takes a deep breath, "You- it's overwhelming how much you pay attention to me, how much you try and how much you care." He opens his mouth to reply but she continues speaking before he has time to get a word out, "and it's not a bad thing, I just... I guess I'm not used to it." His heart breaks a little bit for her because who wouldn't want to open every door or pull out every chair, for her?

"I know you can do it yourself, you know? I mean, you could totally save the world by yourself. I just... I don't know, I thought you'd like it."

"I do, like it." A soft smile appears on her face as her eyes stare at his baby blues. Blake copies the smile on her face as the tension in the room dies and Gwen even blushes a little bit at his intense staring.

"Now all I can think about is you in a super-heroine costume." He presses her lips together and closes his eyes for a brief moment, letting his imagination flow. Gwen on the other side, lets her fingers tangle with his and her head slightly fall back laughing.

"You're unbelievable."

  


He responds to a phone call from his manager as he steps outside the patio leaving Gwen inside to look around. Half an hour later, when he walks back inside, he finds her asleep on the couch. Blake takes a moment to take her in. Her chest goes up and down as she breathes and his heart skips a beat when he spots the soft smile on her face. She looks so relaxed, he doesn't want to wake her up by sitting next to her, so he sinks into his armchair and props his feet on the coffee table. The moment he closes his eyes he's out cold.   


He's woken up by a soft voice and an ever softer rub on his temple. He hums for a moment and breathes out cuddling to the couch. A soft giggle echoes through the room and he's suddenly aware of where her is and who he's with.    

"Gwen?" His eyes are still closed when he asks the question, but honestly if this is a dream he doesn't want to ruin it by opening his eyes.

He feels the arm of the chair sink a little bit and senses a figure next to him. A finger is back to caressing his temple and said body part even draws a path down to his cheek where a soft palm, frames his face softly.

"Hi." The recognizable tone her soft voice makes his cheeks twitch up.

"Am I dreaming?" That earns another giggle from her as another hand comes up to rest on his chest, just above his heart.

"I don't think so." She wishes he could open his eyes to see her but he looks so relaxed that some part of her wants him to keep them closed a little while more.

"Time is it?" He mumbles.

"Half past 10." Hearing her say the time makes him open his eyes immediately.

"Holy!" His eyes travel up to hers and as soon as their gazes meet a soft dimpled grin appears on his face. He wants to wake up to her beautiful face every single day. His hand travels up to her thighs and without warning tugs a little bit to have her lose her balance and fall on top of him, throwing her head back laughing. Now that he has her in his arms, everything feels right again. When Gwen's head is up again, he leans in a little bit to peck her lips softly and them moves away again. After their falling out last night he hadn't kissed her again and he really missed doing so. When he opens his eyes again he finds Gwen's pursed lips and eyes closed waiting for him so he leans back in pressing her lips to hers again. Cautiously. Softly.

_What scares me is that I am._

_You're what?_

_Falling for you._

To say that he hadn't repeated her words in his head a thousand times would be a lie. He knows she's scared, hell he is too, but at least they're on the same page.

They're both falling. Falling fast, hard and deeply. His lips curve into a smile as he presses them to hers again. He doesn't really kiss her because he can't stop smiling but when he passes on his beam to her lips they both giggle at how stupid they must look.

They move away and Gwen takes a moment to nuzzle her nose in his inviting neck which makes Blake grin from ear to ear. He's a little ticklish there but he won't let her know that just ye-, he giggles. _Oh dear._

"I hit a spot, didn't I?"

"Nooope." He giggles again when she lets her nose caress his neck once again.

"I so did." She beams proudly, dropping a soft kiss in her stubbly skin.

 

__________________

 

"I think you should write more songs." Gwen says over the phone as she lets her body fall against her king size bed in her LA home.

She had just gotten back from a meeting with Dreamworks about voicing a character in a new movie. Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendricks were in so of course she had accepted. They told her she would also get the chance to sing a song so that had given her even more confidence on accepting the part.

Her and Blake had ended up staying in on Saturday night, in his Nashville home and had fallen asleep on the couch. He had wanted to hold her all night but didn't, thinking that after the falling out last night she needed time to get adjusted to whatever they were creating. So one fell asleep on one side of the sofa, and the other in the opposite one. The only body part touching were their feet and that was good enough for them. It amazed them how little they had to do to feel comfortable and protected.

"I should?" His country drawl makes her smile against the pillow as she rolls on her tummy.

"Definitely." She mumbles against the pillow.

"What if I told you..."

"What?" She giggles curling her feet at the excitement.

"I might have a the first verse and chorus of a new song."  

She rolls on her back and runs a hand to her face, "you do?" He hums in response as she hears him start his car, "What's it about?"

He breathes in and out and the turns the engine off. If he tells her it's about them she might freak out again and he doesn't want another falling out. Not when they had one two weeks ago in Nashville and last thing he wants when he gets a chance to talk to her is fight.

"Can I facetime you?" He asks.

"Uhm... yes sure." She says running a hand through her hair. She throws her hands up holding the phone, as her face breaks out into an adoring smile when his dimpled excited face appears on her iPhone screen. "Hi there."

"Hi pretty girl!" His accent is something that will always make her feet curl and have butterflies dance in her stomach, but his adoring face when he speaks to her is something out of this world. His words have her rolling on her side and letting her arms fall on the mattress, holding her phone up a little bit so he can still see her.

"Hi, Blake."

"Hello." He greets her again making them both let out a little giggle. "Miss you." His voice sounds so deep and insecure all of a sudden, making Gwen sit up against the headboard. She stares at him for a moment as she watches him look away from the camera.

"Blake?" He still won't look up. "I miss you too." She tries again and that makes his gaze meets hers through the camera. A small smile appears on his face and then one on hers as well.

"Really?" He shouldn't be asking that because he knows she would never lie to him, but his insecurities betray him once again.

"Of course." Even though there's a petite smile on his face Gwen feels like he's not entirely sure of her response. "I do miss you, like a lot. I have the boys this week and it's a little bit easier, with them being here with me, because I don't feel so alone but, Blake I miss you all the time. I'm constantly thinking about jumping on a plane to Nashville." That makes his cheeks twitch up and his head fall against the head of the seat, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

"I want to jump on a plane to LA every second of every day." He admits meeting her gaze.

"What's stopping us?" Her words are out before she has time to think about the consequences of asking said question. Blake blinks a few times and presses his lips together. "Sorry, I..."

"I'm giving you time." His low tone makes Gwen look up to meet his eyes. "I don't want to overwhelm you, look how well that worked out the last time." He says referring to him singing that song in his bar that first night in Nashville. She stays quiet for a few seconds as Blake stares at her on his phone screen. He knows talking about these things via facetime might not be the smartest move, but there’s nothing he can do about it.

“Why are we doing this if we can’t be honest with each other?” Her insecure voice as she closes her eyes has Blake wishing he could jump over the screen to her and hold her in his arms.

“What is this we’re doing, exactly?” He pushes a little bit.

“Blake…” She sighs and closes her eyes again, letting her phone drop on the mattress. Blake stares at the black screen of his phone and closes his eyes thinking that he should have kept his mouth shut. A few seconds later Gwen’s face appears on the screen again, making his cheeks slightly twitch up.

“I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about this now. Let’s just talk about something else, okay?” His lower tone makes her relax but also makes her heart break a little bit because here is this man that has done nothing but respect and wait for her and she’s too afraid to let herself be taken care of.

“You never told me what your song was about.” She changes the subject just like that and part of Blake is thankful that she was the one to move away from the _what are we doing?_ subject, but what she doesn't know is that the song is actually about her.

“Well…” The side smile on his face makes Gwen’s realize what’s going on. The song is about her, his half smile says just enough.

“Oh…”

“Yeah.”

 

He decides to change the subject completely, asking about her meeting and her plans with her boys. He explains that he’s leaving to his property in Oklahoma for a few days, for a hunting weekend with his friends and also tells her that the reception there is pretty low and since the house is still being built, Wi-Fi hasn’t been installed yet. Gwen forces herself to be happy and excited for him but once she hangs up she stares at the ceiling thinking about everything involving them.

The following day, before he gets on the plane to Oklahoma, he sends her an email with the subject _Important_ but really containing a few verses of a song he has self titled _Break my Heart._

 

 

 

"What's going on with you?" Luke sits down on the wooden bench in front of the lake and looks to the left to see his friend's eyes lost in the horizon. They’d just gotten back from their first hunting session.

"Nothing." Blake replies, without tearing his eyes away from the lake and the trees. Luke hits his arm but not even that makes Blake look at him.

"When I would hit you, you'd hit me back. That's our thing you know, our bro thing." The country star moves his arms between them and Blake finally turns his head to look at him. "What's wrong?" He asks again.

Blake lets a shy smile appear on his lips as he presses them together thinking about what and how to say it.

"Just... I don't know."

"You never not know things. Come on, tell me."  Blake stands up and paces the ground for a minute. His hand runs through his curls and then down his neck to finally fall on his side. He pats his thigh, once, twice and then finally opens his mouth to speak.

"There's uhm- a song I wrote."

"You wrote a song?" His surprised tone makes Blake chuckle.

"I know..."

"Blake," Luke stands up and walk up to him, "How long had it been?"

"A lot." He nods a few times and turns to look at the lake again. "I played it for someone and..." he sigh, "It didn't go as planned."

"I'm not following." Luke zips up his jacket and frowns, looking at his friend.

"I met someone, song was about her."

"Wait, wait, go back. You met someone?" Luke asks situating himself in front of his friend to force Blake to look at him. The country superstar meets his friend's brown eyes and draws a soft smile on his stubbly face.

"I met someone." He nods, “And-“

“When?”  

“Uhh… During my tour last fall.” Luke’s jaw hits the floor.

“Okay okay, wait. And you’re just telling me this now? You’ve been dating someone for-“

“We’re not dating.” Blake admits.

“You’re not?” The tall blue eyed man shakes his head looking down at his hunting boots, “Why not?”

“She’s not from Nashville.”

“Where is she from?”

Blake thinks about what to respond, part of him want to tell Luke everything, because if there has always been anyone that has listened to him and has let him cry on their shoulder that is Luke, but some part of Blake is afraid to open his heart about Gwen. “Los Angeles.” There it is.

“You met a city girl. Where? I don’t recall your tour stopping in LA.”

“New York.” Blake replies as Luke makes him a sign to carry on, “We met at a bar, I had a freak out over a Miranda song on the radio and she… Let’s just say we grabbed a few beers, watched a movie and she ended up kissing me goodbye in the middle of a crowded street after breakfast.”

“You slept with a complete stranger?” Luke voice raises up making Blake shush him.

“Shht, dude don’t scream it out. We didn’t sleep together, we didn’t sleep at all. We just wandered the streets.”

“Romantic.” Luke teases, as Blake looks down again, spinning on his feet to take a couple steps away from his friend. “Have you seen her again?” Blake nods, still not looking at Luke. “Okay, so… what’s the deal?”

Blake sighs and still doesn’t turn around, “I’m confused. I write a song, I play it for her and pour out my heart and she freaks out and leaves. Next day we decide to just go with it, whatever we have, and put aside the feelings. She gets back to LA and we call and text back and forth but it’s just…” He finally spins around to meet Luke’s concerned eyes, “I don’t want to put aside the feelings, I want to be able to say what I feel and not have her run away.”

“You’re getting soft man.” Luke’s laugh dies when he meets Blake’s serious look.

“Laugh away.” Blake turns to leave but Luke stops him, a hand on his arm.

“Hey, hold on, I’m sorry.” He lowers his head, “Let’s start again. I promise to listen.”

Blake tells him everything then. Starting by telling his friend that this woman has gone to something similiar to his situation with Miranda. Not once mentioning who the mystery girl is and leaving out some details as the Grammy’s party, but mentioning a night out at the beach. He tells him about _Came here to forget_ and the falling out followed by a quiet and relaxing day at his house in Nashville. The conversations carries on to the girl getting back home and them calling each other every two days for the past two weeks.

“Oh-kay.” They’re back on the bench, staring at the lake. Luke closes his eyes and takes his cap off to let his hand run through his hair. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Wh-what?” Blake’s head snaps up.

“From what you said you have helped each other heal and _man,_ she sounds like a special girl.”

“She is.” Blake caresses his stubbly cheek and sighs. He should trim his beard, he thinks. _Later._

“What are you doing here, then?”

“What do you mean?” He’s not following.

“Blake, oh my god!” Luke stands up throwing his hands on the air, “Go get her. Pour your heart out, maybe she’s scared but you opening up is just what she needs. Take a chance, bro.”

“I did pour my heart out and she ran away, I thought you were listening!”

“Then don’t sing, tell her. Speak.”

“I was never good at that.”

“Maybe you were not good, or maybe all that you need is the right girl.” Blake lets his friends words sink in as he beams nodding.

“What about hunting?”

“Hell with hunting! I can’t believe you’re still thinking about hunting deers when you have missed twice today thinking about this mystery girl. Just leave, I’ll take care of everything.” Blake’s cheeks twitch up as he takes his cap off to ruffle his hair. “Man, you got it bad.”

“Feed the horses, take out the trash, close up the bows and arr-”

“Blake!” The country star jumps on his feet at Luke’s yell. “I got it bro, come on! I’ll get the helicopter ready to get you to the airport a.s.a.p. Go shower and make yourself look pretty, if that’s even possible.” They both laugh at that as Blake starts to make his way back to his house.

 

 

 

Gwen is waken up the next morning, after hanging up with Blake, after the whole new song fiasco, by her children's voices at the other side of her door. She pretends to be asleep when they walk in silently and keeps her eyes closed when Zuma caresses her face to wake her up.

“We have breakfast!” He says with a huge smile on his face.

Indeed they have. King is balancing a tray full of toasts, orange juice and even a coffee mug. She has missed her babies so much. Pulling Apollo onto the bed, the four of them spend the morning eating and watching cartoons on Gwen’s bedroom TV. It’s not until the afternoon that she gets a chance to check her phone to see a few missed calls from her parents, a few messages from her sister in law and a e-mail from Blake. _Weird._

She decides to call her parents and reply Jen, her sister in law, and then finally opens Blake’s e-mail under the name of _Important,_ so she guesses something is wrong and her heart starts to beat faster. She takes a deep breath.

 

**Hi, Gwen.**

**Write the next verse?**

 

_Sun is setting on your last good try_

_Here I am again with half a goodbye_

_Wonder if you're really gone this time_

_Just when I'm about to lose my mind_

_There you are again on my phone_

_The moon is rising and you're all alone_

_Maybe we could just hang a while_

_Maybe we can make each other smile_

 

_Oh no, here I go_

 

_Why don't you go ahead and break my heart?_

_Why are you waiting, is it way too hard?_

_If moving on is what you wanna do_

_Why don't you do it?_

_Why don't you do it, baby?_

_You can't tell me that we'll still be friends_

_And maybe someday we can try again_

_If you really need a brand new start_

_Why don't you go ahead and break my heart?_

 

Three hours later she’s at the airport. She has managed to leave her boys with her brother, after telling him and Jen that she had a surprise but important meeting in New York in the morning, and that she couldn’t miss it. She packs for two days and gets on a taxi to LAX. It’s late sunday afternoon and most of the people are arriving to LAX, not leaving and that is something Gwen is grateful for, because she really doesn’t want to be seen.

She’s about to cross the police control when her phone buzzes inside her hoodie pocket. _Blake._

Now this is a surprise.

“Gwen?” He sounds out of breath.

“Hi.”

“Hi, hello.” He sounds out of breath.

“Breath in and out. There you go.”

“Sorry, I… I was running.” He takes a deep breath.

“Why? Still hunting?”

“No, nope. I’m at the airport.”

Gwen shakes her head and stops out of the queue for the police control. “Why?”

“I gotta see you.” Her face breaks into a wide smile as she puts her hand on her face.

“Wha-why? Blake…”

“I missed twice thinking of you, and it’s been two weeks and I just miss you. Good thing I missed because I know you don’t like the idea of me killing animals, so at least I did a good thing, right?”

She chuckles against her phone. “Blake… I’m at the airport.”

He stops walking, “You are?” She hums at the other side of the call, “Where are you going?” He asks, confused.

“To you.” Her words echo inside his head for what feels like forever, each time they sound softer and he can’t help but leans against the nearest wall trying to not fall of excitement. “Blake?”

 _Oh crap._ She’s still at the other side waiting for him to say something. “You’re flying over?”

“Well, I was about to cross the police control when you called.”

“Don’t.” She shakes her head frowning.

“What?” She narrows her eyes at the confusion. “Blake, wha-”

“Go to the nearest departures panel.”

“Why?”

“Gwen…” He begs like a kid and she laughs at the other side of the call.

“Okay, hold on.” She hangs her purse on her shoulder and grabs her suitcase with her free hand as the other holds up her phone against her ear. “You here?”

“Of course.” His voice against her ear relaxes her as her cheeks twitch up, yet again, at whatever plan he has going on in his clever mind she’s grown to adore. “Read out the destinations.”

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Gwen chuckles and he does too.

“Just read them out. From 1 hour from now or they won’t let you in.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s see… uhm, New York, Washington.”

“Too far.” Blake sounds impatient and that makes her giggle. “What else?”

“Stop interrupting, me.” She laughs as her purse falls off of her shoulder and to the floor, “Crap.”

“I don’t know where crap is.” Gwen throws her head back laughing as the hand holding onto her her phone stays up against her ear. She can hear Blake laughing at his own joke, she can almost see his dimpled face.

“Stop it!” She lets her laugh die and carries on with the list. “...Denver.”

“That!”

“Denver?”

“Get on that plane. I’ll re-schedule my flight to Denver as well.” Gwen’s face breaks into a huge grin from ear to ear as she stares at the white letters spelling out the capital city of Colorado. Still on the phone, Gwen walks to the nearest Delta Airlines booth and gets a ticket for the Denver flight leaving in an hour. The woman that sells her the ticket looks at her like she’s crazy but Gwen just smiles.

“Got the ticket.”

“My plane is taking off in twenty minutes.” Blake sighs when he sits down on the comfortable seat of a private plane.

“Are we crazy?” Gwen asks biting her lower lip.

“Maybe a little.” He lets out a little laugh and closes his eyes, resting his head against the seat. “Denver’s about to become the next city that never sleeps.”  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something similar happened to me but with trains. They say sometimes reality tops fiction. Oh well! I hope you liked it! :)


	10. Cheek Kisses

 

Her blonde hair can be seen from anywhere and when she steps through the automatic door it's no different, even if half of her long hair is under the hoodie she is wearing, Blake can still spot her between the group of tourists that come out the same time as her. Clever, he thinks. Hiding in between people so thats he goes under the radar. Spotting him ain't difficult either, seeing that he's the tallest person in every room. They lock eyes and everything feels alright again. The dimpled smile that forms on his face has her grin grow even wider if that's even possible. He takes a step forward but she mouthes a wait as she bites her lower lip. Blake smirks and takes a step back leaning against the wall, waiting for her. She stops walking when she's just two steps away from him and Blake stares as her as she looks up from her shoes to his blue eyes. She presses her lips together and then lets them break into another smile that has his dimples popping out on her stubbly face. A stubby face he has forgotten to trim. Dammit. He wants to touch her somehow but she's frozen in place as she stares at him and he doesn't know what to do. His fingers come up to his neck as he rubs it nervously, he doesn't know why he's feeling like this, he knows Gwen. He likes Gwen. He has even kissed Gwen. He shouldn't be nervous. But he did sent her lyrics of a very personal song a two days ago and this is the first time seeing her in person since he brushed his lips against hers in a very awkward goodbye kiss in Nashville. Ever since the falling out everything had turned from fun and unplanned moves to quiet and slow planned ones to not push things to far, to give her space. He's tired of standing apart so he takes a step forward and drops a light kiss on her warm cheek. He hears something fall to the ground and a second later her hand come up to touch his neck as he moves away slowly. His nose touches her cheek and next thing he knows Gwen's lips are on his and somehow they feel as soft and as perfect as he remembers them. They get lost in each other for what feels like forever as his arms wrap around her and even picks her up for a brief moment as Gwen grins against his lips. She secretly loves it when he pics her up, he won't tell him that though.  
"Hi." He leans back to look at her in the eyes to find them closed, savoring the moment.  
"Hi you." She replies finally opening his eyes to meet his baby blues. Her fingers reach up to his cheek and she lets her fingertips rub on his slightly longer stubble. She giggles at the touch as Blake raises his eyesbrows, questingly. "It looks good on you."  
"You think so?" She nods and pecks his lips once again.  
Blake's so mesmerized by her, by having her so close and just having her here, for him to reach out and touch, that he doesn't realize he's staring like a creep.  
"You're going to catch flies." She flirts hitting his arms and then putting a strand of hair behind her ear as she looks down at her purse on the floor, but really just hiding the blush on her cheeks.  
"I don't mind." He says grinning from ear to ear. Without tearing his eyes away from her, he squats down to reach for her purse and even grabs ahold of her suitcase, "ready to get out of here?" He ask, swinging her purse on one of his shoulders as his free arm lands on her shoulders, pulling her closer.  
"Ready."

 

 

 

They get to the hotel by taxi. Gwen hides away from the taxi driver by dropping her head on Blake's shoulder and letting her hair fall over her face. He's arm is wrapped around her back and his fingers touch the skin on her wrist from time to time, stealing a small smile from her. She decides to wait at the entrace of the hotel as he walks in to drop her bags and get the car he had gotten for the night.  
He drives not knowing where they're going but when they arrive at the top of a mountain she agrees that it is a good spot so he lets the tailgate fall and invites her to jump on and just sit at the bed of the brand new dark blue truck. His back is against the metal when Gwen hops on and he pats the vacant space by his side but Gwen decides to sit in front of him. He frowns but just lets her do. He figures she has something to say when her mouth opens but then just closes again as she finally sits down. They steal quiet glances at each other as a somewhat comfortable silence takes over them.  
"I never wanted things to be awkward." He starts, realizing that he should maybe be the one to break the almost awkward silence. "I just... I hadn't written a song in so long and just thinking about you made the words flow and I couldn't stop." Gwen looks down to her lap where her fingers are linked together and processes Blake's words.  
"I hadn't written anything in so long either, I know how it feels. It feels like you've lost a part of you and it hurts to realize that you're not longer able to do what you thought was what you excelled at." She speaks with her head down as Blake just stares at her and watches her every move. The way her lips move as she articulates every word and how she breathes in halfway through the speech as she brushes a strand behind her ear. "You gave me a reason to write again." She finally says, locking eyes with him. Blake's baby blues grow as his face softens at her admission. "Thank you."  
"No, Gwen. Thank _you_." He says before moving to seat by her side. His hand reaches for her linked ones on her lap to take them in his. He brings her soft cold hands up to his lips to drop a light kiss on her knuckles. Without asking her, his arm wraps around her, hoping his body temperature is enough to keep her warm for a little longer.  
"Blake?" She calls out for him after a minute of silence of just enjoying each other. He hums in response, "I'm sorry for freaking out the other day. I just... You're- I can't remember the last time I felt this treasured and I guess it just was a lot to take in and everything was so perfect it was almost unreal." She speaks softly, her head falling on his shoulder. Blake looks down at her and drops a kiss on her temple. He still wants to look at her in the eyes though so as much as it hurts him, he pulls away to sit in front of her. He flexes his knees to be able to sit as close as possible and grabs both her hands again.  
"It is real. I want it to be real." He admits in a lower tone, almost as he's scared to be this honest. "I don't think I've ever-" he stops and presses his lips together, his dimples making an appearance again in his slightly more stubbly face.  
"Ever what?" Gwen pushes him shyly.  
"Felt like this? I mean, of course I have, uhm..." He lets go of one of her hands to rub his neck nervously as he breathes out. When he looks up he finds Gwen's eyes on him asking for him to carry on. Her eyes shine in the dark and he wonders how can that be possible when she has brown eyes, but they shine like diamonds and Blake loves them. "I have," he starts again, "fallen in love before." There it is, his eyes are almost scared to meet hers but Gwen encourages to keep them on her as she nods, a beautiful shiny smile forming on her face as a blush also appears on her face. She suddenly feels warmer, as the temperature has risen about 5 degrees and Blake has had his arms around her for a while. Truth is, she's leaning against the metal sides on his truck and he's only touching her hand. It amazes her how his words can make her feel so good, so comforted. "Am I scared to fall in love again?" He speaks again, "of course I am. I think everyone is at some point, but you make it easy for me to fall for you." He sounds scared and excited at the same time and his eyes scream happiness at a whole new level, his cheeks twitch up and Gwen's do as well when they let their eyes do the talking. She can't imagining a look could say so much.  
"I'm scared."  
"I am too."  
"You don't look like it."  
"Being scared is not always a bad thing. It means that you care." He throws a soft smile her way as he wraps her legs around him.  
"It just feels so fast and part of me doesn't want to stop, but the rational part of me tells me to stop and take a breath. I don't want to get my heart broken again." Blake nods a few times as she speaks because he feels the same way. They're basically in the same situation, which makes them understand each other so very well.  
"You just have to trust me enough to not break your heart. And I have to trust you to not break mine." Blake says leaning into her to touch his forehead with hers. They let silence take over for a while as they get lost in the moment. Forehead to forehead.  
"How can we know that this is going to work out? You live in Nashville and I live in LA. I have three boys."  
"We can't know that." The country super star looks down taken aback by the truth. "I do know you're worth it, and Nashville is getting small and boring. I'm tired of always seeing the same people." He chuckles as Gwen's eye grow in surprise.  
"Blake... you can't,"  
"I can." He assures her squeezing her hand, "I'm not saying I'll move right away but I do want to see how it could be, don't you want that as well?" Gwen stays quiet for a moment but finally smiles as she bites her lower lip.  
"Yeah."  
"Good." His lower tone makes his nerves die once again and he leans down to peck her lips again. "Let's just take it one day at a time, okay?" She nods and he closes his eyes when his lips touch her temple, taking the moment in.

 

 

  
When they get back to the hotel, Gwen doesn't think twice before grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers together. When they enter the lobby it's 2am so the room is empty aside from the young man behind the desk who is to busy typing on his phone to even look up to see who just walked in. Blake tugs on her hand the elevator but Gwen shakes her head. It's Saturday and she wants a drink, so she tugs back and tilts her head to the bar stealing a smirk from Blake's lips.  
She sits on the furthest from everything table after telling him she wants a daiquiri. Blake stands still as she watches her swing her hips away from him. It's not until she's sitting down, and looks up to him, that he realizes he was staring so he shakes his head as a silly grin appears on his face and turns around to the bar.  
She learns that his accent gets heavier one mixed drink down his throat and if his dimples when she runs her fingers through her curls, are an indication that he likes it when she does that, she won't stop. She loves his hair, not just only the curls but the greyish strands as well. Blake is very real, he doesn't have any problem with growing up and if you ask her, he's like fine wine. And she has always loved greyish hair, as well. His lips on her neck make Gwen giggle, that's brand new information to him and he also learns that she loves to touch. There's no moment in which they are not touching and just that makes Blake realize how much he missed having someone to hold on to.  
Her head on his shoulder is probably the most comfortable she has ever felt and part of her doesn't want to move, but at the same time she could use a bed.  
"Want to go upstairs?"  
"Can you read minds?" She asks smiling against his clothed shoulder.  
"Sorry?"  
"I was just thinking I could use a bed when you asked if I wanted to go upstairs." He chuckles and squeezes her shoulder.

Gwen frowns when Blake clicks the 15th floor button but she lets him be. That's the last floor and she really can't imagine a hotel in Denver being so full that they didn't have an available room in the firsts floors. He stands behind her, his arms on his sides but eagerly wanting to touch her in someway, so when, from the corner of his eyes he sees the light illuminate floor six he slowly brings his hand up and lets it circle her waist catching Gwen off guard, and making Blake start to pull it away but as a surprise for him and her she gets ahold of his plaid covered arm and brings it back around her waist.  
_Eight._  
He leans his head down to brush his lips on her shoulder making Gwen cuddle up to him as her hand intertwines with his bringing both their linked arms to under her breasts. Blake breathes out as Gwen draws a soft smile on her features when she feels his stubble make contact with the skin showing between her jumper and her neck.  
_Ten._  
His trail of pecks go all the way up to her cheek where he drops an even softer kiss making Gwen hug him even tighter and a giggle to scape her lips.  
"You like cheek kisses. I'll keep that in mind."  
_Eleven._  
The blonde superstar lets out a little laugh and moves her head for her to be able to look at him. Unannounced she gets on her tiptoes and brushes her lipgloss free lips to his stubbly cheek.  
_Twelve._  
He doesn't giggle but his cheeks surely twitch up when she leans in again and even brings the hand that is not holding his, up to his neck, and brushes a cheek kiss against his stubble.  
_Thirteen_.  
"There's just a whole lot to say with a cheek kiss." She explains.  
"Really?" He's surprised not only because of the topic of the conversation, but where this is going. "What did that say?"  
_Fourteen_.  
"You're cute." She says turning around to face him. His hands stay around her waist as her's come up to his chest.  
"You need to teach me this cheek kiss language."  
Fifteen.  
The doors open and Gwen takes a step backwards exciting the lift. Blake on the other side, stays quiet and froze inside the lift as he watches her. She's bitting down her lip and there's a mixture of scared and playfulness in her look that has Blake worried. What should he do?  
He reaches down in his pocket for the room key and shows it to her as he smirks. As he takes a step forward, and then another one, Gwen takes another one backwards. The country star smiles and then looks down. This is going somewhere and he wonders if she is ready to go there or not. When he looks back up, Gwen has stopped walking. Their eyes lock for a few seconds until Blake takes the few remaining steps separating them. He leans down to brush his lips on her upper cheek.  
"What did that say?" He asks not moving his lips from her cheek.  
"Trust." She breathes out.  
"I do trust you." He says pulling away to look down at her.  
"I trust you too."

His brain is in shut down as Gwen steals the white card from him. His hands are on her lower back keeping her close as his lips work on her as if she were water to his thirsty eyes. One of Gwen's hands is up and around her neck but the other somehow manages to sneak behind her back and get the card key. Her back hits the wall before she has time to slide it in and Blake's trail of kisses down her neck is keeping her from thinking rationally. Dammit. He breathes in and out loudly against the exposed skin on her neck as he sneakily steals away the card from her hands grinning against her warm skin. He manages to open the door and have both of them stumbling inside the darkish room. Gwen walks backwards and with her eyes closed as Blake guides her through the room until the back of her knees collide with something and he has to hug her closer to not have her fall. "I got you." His tone is so low and raspy that Gwen thinks she might just fall apart any second now. His lips are on her right away, he can't seem to get enough of her mouth. And he plans to get as much of her kisses as possible before they have to pull away and take everything one step at a time like they talked about. So, to say that he's surprised when Gwen's hands unzip his jacket would be an understatement. He helps her slide off his jacket, her mouth never living his as he takes a couple of steps forward, taking her with him. He really doesn't know where he's going and he should find out where to go and how to proceed with this, but right now he's just exploring this brand new intimacy with her. His hands move the hem of her hoodie to pull it over her head, forcing them to separate their eager mouths from each other. His heart rate is going too fast, he's almost embarrassed. He takes a deep breath and joins his forehead with hers. He sees her beam from the corner of his eyes and that makes him smile too. Rubbing his nose against hers has Gwen hugging him as close as possible, holding on to dear life. He feels her hands fidget on his back and he wonders if she's an nervous and uncertain as he is. "I got you." He repeats letting his swollen lips linger on her cheek for what feels like forever. "I got you." He dorkily smiles as his brand new cheek kiss language word and manages to steal a chuckle from her. Getting on her toes Gwen kisses his cheek the same way and repeats the words.  
"I got you."  
The lights stay down as Blake finally figures the way to the bedroom. The only light illuminating the chamber is the half cracked door of the ensuite bathroom but it's enough. His shirt is off just after he walks under the door frame, and snuggling into his naked chest might be her new favorite thing in the world. His tall figure and his broad chest are her castle and she, really, has never felt so safe before. The look on his eyes is as if he were asking permission to undress her and Gwen giggles at how attentive he can be. He hadn't asked but still, she nods and he carries on undressing her, and her undressing him until there are no barriers anymore. Her back touches the sheets as his arm lays her down slowly band the rapidly joins her. Blake pros himself on top of her and takes a few seconds to admire her. She can tell it's making her feel a little uncomfortable as her hands come up to her face. He places a knee at one side on her legs and then hold his weight with one hand as the other reaches up to uncover her face.  
"You're so beautiful."  
The dance they start might be better than anything she's ever experienced. Better than any waltz competition she has caught on TV sometimes. He is passionate and attentive as he always is and Gwen can't believe she gets to share such an intimate moment with such an incredible guy. No one takes the lead, there is no me first, you second, they go in together and become one as fireworks explode in their minds as their breathing gets louder and their bodies sweatier. He trails kisses all over her body and his hands palm her body as if he were molding her which causes Gwen to have goosebumps through all the whole night. His stubbly face does wonders to her, she really can't get enough of it. She can't get enough of him as she begs with her eyes for him to keep the dance up again. He leans down to put his smile on hers as they come and Blake really has a hard time to property kiss her because he can't wipe the smile off of his face.  
He falls beside her on the bed and rapidly pulls Gwen to his chest as he closes his eyes and lets himself take a few seconds to get his breathing back on track. Gwen snuggles into his chest after bringing the covers up and letting the sheets cover them to their heads. Blake chuckles and turns to look at her. It's so dark under the covers that he really can't see her but he hears her breathing and of course he's touching her, and she's touching him.  
"Denver is definitely a city that never sleeps." Gwen soft voice kills the silence along with Blake's chuckle. He pulls the covers off, finally being able to see her features thanks to the cracked bathroom door. "Thank you." She says directly to his baby blues.  
"What for?" He asks hugging her closer. His hand tracing doodles on her back.  
"Being in that bar in New York, taking me to the movies and to breakfast."  
"Not just breakfast, churros." Blake points out smiling down at her.  
"Right. The holy food." She ironically says, "For winning the Grammy and stealing bags of mayonnaise. For waiting for me after I freaked out to your song." Her mind briefly goes back to his bar in Nashville but she shakes her head, she just wants to move forward. "Thank you for being spontaneous with me, for taking me to cities and places and making me fall in love with them just because you were there by my side. Thank you for being that stranger in the bar on the right place at the right time. For making not just New York the city that never sleeps."  
Blake has never really been a crier but he gets emotional easily, even though he rarely shares a tear. He doesn't either now, but he's deeply touched by her words. He leans down to peck her lips and put a strand on hair behind her ear, gis hand lingering at the side of her face.  
"Thank _you_ for being that stranger in the bar."  
"You actually knew who I was." Gwen points out with a smirk.  
"I did." He beams, "my ego is a little bit sad that you didn't know who I was but I'll let it go." She playfully hits his chest as she laughs.  
Silence takes over for a minute as they lay in each others arms, skin to skin. "Everything I want is to discover who you are, all the secrets, all your talents, what scares you, what makes you cry. Which is your go to song at the shower, and even what's you're strange pre-show ritual." She doesn't look at him as she speaks because her head in on his chest. She feels his lips on the hair and a smile form as she speaks. Blake can imagine her face as well. He listens to her breath in and then out once, twice and again when her speech comes to an end and he kissed her head yet again.  
"We can do all of that." He announces, "but do you know what I want to do?"  
"What?" Gwen props herself on one elbow as she looks down and his grinning cute face.  
His dimples come out and all she wants in to poke them but she realizes he has something to say, so she doesn't and stays still, waiting for him to carry on.  
"I want to tour the states and make each city, the city that never sleeps."

THE END.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed this!  
> Fun fact: I knew exactly that, that was going to be the last sentamce of this fic since I started writing it.  
> Thank you'll so much for reading!


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